Tweet
Kennedy wants to prove he's not a No. 1 bust
By Bill Coats
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Aug. 26 2004
When Jimmy Kennedy was 6 months old - and already 49 pounds - his mother, Mary Darby, scribbled a prophecy across the back of his baby picture. "One day you're going to be somebody special," she wrote.
One could argue that Kennedy indeed has become somebody special.
He was raised by a single mom, who successfully overcame the demons of crack cocaine, in a rough neighborhood in Yonkers, N.Y. He completed a degree - with a 3.2 grade-point average - from Penn State in four years, earning All-America honors. In addition, he became the 12th overall selection and the Rams' No. 1 in the 2003 NFL draft.
But Kennedy wants more, and he's beyond frustrated that his path to that goal has been blocked. Kennedy, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive tackle, desperately wants to prove that he has what it takes to be a successful player with the Rams. He said he wonders sometimes why reaching that objective has been so difficult.
"I'm not the most religious person, but I believe that everything happens for a reason," said Kennedy, 24. "My mom tells me all the time, 'God has a plan for you. There's a reason why. He didn't bring you this far to be a failure now.'"
After struggling through a discouraging rookie season, in which he saw limited action in 12 games, Kennedy said, "I worked my butt off" in the offseason. He was making strides in the early days of camp in Macomb, Ill. "He's still got a lot of work to do, but he's getting better every day," veteran defensive end Tyoka Jackson noted then. "He's a much better player than he was at this time last year."
A pop in Kennedy's right foot brought a sudden halt to his progress. "I wanted to come out here and prove that I should've been a first-rounder. I know I was contributing, I was starting to come on," Kennedy said. "And then to have it end before it begins ... it's just tough."
It ended Aug. 5, barely a week into camp. Kennedy suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal, and he had surgery Aug. 10. He's expected to be sidelined until at least late November.
"I never broke a bone playing football, and for me to do it on just a plant play in one-on-ones, I find that interesting," Kennedy said, ruefully. He acknowledged that although he's "trying to stay positive," he's having difficulty.
"It's definitely a tough thing to deal with," Kennedy said. "It's hard watching the guys out there. I think that's the toughest part, just feeling like I'm not a part of the team, not being out there contributing."
Kennedy, who is wearing a walking boot on the foot, said that when the wound from the surgery heals, he'll begin cardio workouts in a swimming pool. Meanwhile, he's been doing heavy lifting in the weight room and trying to stay patient.
"I'm getting stronger," he said. "I definitely feel my body changing, my body fat going down. I'm trying to make myself the best I can be so when I do get back on the field, I can contribute more."
Rams cut guard
Guard Jason Lenzmeier, an undrafted rookie from New Mexico, was released. NFL rosters must be pared to 65 players by Tuesday. ... A VH1 crew visited Rams Park on Thursday to get film for a 30-minute special on Nelly, the rapper from St. Louis. Nelly is a devoted Rams fan and a suite-holder at Edward Jones Dome.
By Bill Coats
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Aug. 26 2004
When Jimmy Kennedy was 6 months old - and already 49 pounds - his mother, Mary Darby, scribbled a prophecy across the back of his baby picture. "One day you're going to be somebody special," she wrote.
One could argue that Kennedy indeed has become somebody special.
He was raised by a single mom, who successfully overcame the demons of crack cocaine, in a rough neighborhood in Yonkers, N.Y. He completed a degree - with a 3.2 grade-point average - from Penn State in four years, earning All-America honors. In addition, he became the 12th overall selection and the Rams' No. 1 in the 2003 NFL draft.
But Kennedy wants more, and he's beyond frustrated that his path to that goal has been blocked. Kennedy, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive tackle, desperately wants to prove that he has what it takes to be a successful player with the Rams. He said he wonders sometimes why reaching that objective has been so difficult.
"I'm not the most religious person, but I believe that everything happens for a reason," said Kennedy, 24. "My mom tells me all the time, 'God has a plan for you. There's a reason why. He didn't bring you this far to be a failure now.'"
After struggling through a discouraging rookie season, in which he saw limited action in 12 games, Kennedy said, "I worked my butt off" in the offseason. He was making strides in the early days of camp in Macomb, Ill. "He's still got a lot of work to do, but he's getting better every day," veteran defensive end Tyoka Jackson noted then. "He's a much better player than he was at this time last year."
A pop in Kennedy's right foot brought a sudden halt to his progress. "I wanted to come out here and prove that I should've been a first-rounder. I know I was contributing, I was starting to come on," Kennedy said. "And then to have it end before it begins ... it's just tough."
It ended Aug. 5, barely a week into camp. Kennedy suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal, and he had surgery Aug. 10. He's expected to be sidelined until at least late November.
"I never broke a bone playing football, and for me to do it on just a plant play in one-on-ones, I find that interesting," Kennedy said, ruefully. He acknowledged that although he's "trying to stay positive," he's having difficulty.
"It's definitely a tough thing to deal with," Kennedy said. "It's hard watching the guys out there. I think that's the toughest part, just feeling like I'm not a part of the team, not being out there contributing."
Kennedy, who is wearing a walking boot on the foot, said that when the wound from the surgery heals, he'll begin cardio workouts in a swimming pool. Meanwhile, he's been doing heavy lifting in the weight room and trying to stay patient.
"I'm getting stronger," he said. "I definitely feel my body changing, my body fat going down. I'm trying to make myself the best I can be so when I do get back on the field, I can contribute more."
Rams cut guard
Guard Jason Lenzmeier, an undrafted rookie from New Mexico, was released. NFL rosters must be pared to 65 players by Tuesday. ... A VH1 crew visited Rams Park on Thursday to get film for a 30-minute special on Nelly, the rapper from St. Louis. Nelly is a devoted Rams fan and a suite-holder at Edward Jones Dome.
Comment