Danny Kanell
Encyclopedia
Daniel Paul Kanell is a former professional American football
quarterback
in the National Football League
, and Arena Football League.
, where he played quarterback
for four years. During his career at the university he played in 45 games and completed 62.2% of his 851 pass attempts. He threw for 6,372 yards, 57 touchdown
s (a school record) and 26 interceptions
over his four years as a Seminole
. He also ran for one touchdown and managed to catch one pass for a loss of three yards. In his freshman, sophomore and senior years he played in the Orange Bowl and in his junior year he played in the Sugar Bowl
. He was given an "honorable mention" in the All-America
n list of his senior year.
Kanell also played baseball
during his freshman and sophomore years, playing in 28 games over the two seasons.
by the New York Giants
in the fourth round (130th overall) in the 1996 NFL Draft
. He made his debut later that season that year for the team. The next season in New York, Kanell became the starter and played the last ten games of the 1997 season, leading the Giants to the NFC Eastern Division title. In those ten games he threw for 1,740 yards with eleven touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Giants played in the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings
but lost 23-22. Kanell went 16/32 with 199 yards and one touchdown in that game. The following year, Kanell started all ten games he played in while throwing for 1,603 yards, eleven touchdowns and ten interceptions. With a record of 3-7 at that point, the Giants benched Kanell in favor of Kent Graham
, who led the Giants to a 5-1 record down the stretch and an 8-8 finish. At the end of the season the Giants signed Kerry Collins
from the New Orleans Saints
and cut Kanell to make enough salary cap
room to pay Collins' salary.
In the off season Kanell found a home with the Atlanta Falcons
as a backup to their oft injured starting quarterback Chris Chandler
. He played in Atlanta for two years, starting two games and playing in eight. As a Falcon he completed 99 of 200 attempted passes for a total of 1,117 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. At the end of the 2000 season he was cut by the Falcons and didn't manage to sign with another team.
A year later, Kanell signed with the New York Dragons
of the Arena Football League for the 2002 season. After an impressive stint there, he was signed during training camp by the Denver Broncos
. He made the roster as the third-string quarterback in Denver but was let go shortly through the season. Seven games into the season, starting quarterback Jake Plummer
and backup quarterback Steve Beuerlein
suffered with foot and hand injuries, respectively. Kanell was recalled to the Broncos and started two games until Beuerlein and Plummer returned. He threw two touchdowns and five interceptions on 103 pass attempts. Kanell remained with the Broncos for one more year as the backup to Plummer. He never played, as Plummer became the first Broncos quarterback in franchise history to take every offensive snap. After the 2004 season, he was cut by the Broncos and was not picked up by another NFL team.
, and after his junior year at Florida State by the New York Yankees
in the 24th round. However, he saw football as more important and signed with the Giants.
During a layoff from football in 2001, Kanell returned to baseball, playing in the minor leagues
for the Atlantic League
's Newark Bears
. He played at first base, third base
and designated hitter
. Kanell said he wanted to eventually play for the Yankees, as he grew up idolizing Don Mattingly
.
, teaming with Pam Ward
to call college football
telecasts for the network and serving as an occasional studio analyst.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and Arena Football League.
College career
He attended Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for four years. During his career at the university he played in 45 games and completed 62.2% of his 851 pass attempts. He threw for 6,372 yards, 57 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s (a school record) and 26 interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
over his four years as a Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
. He also ran for one touchdown and managed to catch one pass for a loss of three yards. In his freshman, sophomore and senior years he played in the Orange Bowl and in his junior year he played in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. He was given an "honorable mention" in the All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n list of his senior year.
Kanell also played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
during his freshman and sophomore years, playing in 28 games over the two seasons.
Professional career
Kanell was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth round (130th overall) in the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
. He made his debut later that season that year for the team. The next season in New York, Kanell became the starter and played the last ten games of the 1997 season, leading the Giants to the NFC Eastern Division title. In those ten games he threw for 1,740 yards with eleven touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Giants played in the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
but lost 23-22. Kanell went 16/32 with 199 yards and one touchdown in that game. The following year, Kanell started all ten games he played in while throwing for 1,603 yards, eleven touchdowns and ten interceptions. With a record of 3-7 at that point, the Giants benched Kanell in favor of Kent Graham
Kent Graham
Kent Douglas Graham is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. Graham played quarterback at the University of Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State University...
, who led the Giants to a 5-1 record down the stretch and an 8-8 finish. At the end of the season the Giants signed Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
from the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and cut Kanell to make enough salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
room to pay Collins' salary.
In the off season Kanell found a home with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a backup to their oft injured starting quarterback Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler
Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
. He played in Atlanta for two years, starting two games and playing in eight. As a Falcon he completed 99 of 200 attempted passes for a total of 1,117 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. At the end of the 2000 season he was cut by the Falcons and didn't manage to sign with another team.
A year later, Kanell signed with the New York Dragons
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
of the Arena Football League for the 2002 season. After an impressive stint there, he was signed during training camp by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He made the roster as the third-string quarterback in Denver but was let go shortly through the season. Seven games into the season, starting quarterback Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
and backup quarterback Steve Beuerlein
Steve Beuerlein
Stephen Taylor "Steve" Beuerlein is a former football quarterback, and currently is an NFL and college football analyst for CBS.-Education:...
suffered with foot and hand injuries, respectively. Kanell was recalled to the Broncos and started two games until Beuerlein and Plummer returned. He threw two touchdowns and five interceptions on 103 pass attempts. Kanell remained with the Broncos for one more year as the backup to Plummer. He never played, as Plummer became the first Broncos quarterback in franchise history to take every offensive snap. After the 2004 season, he was cut by the Broncos and was not picked up by another NFL team.
Baseball career
Kanell was drafted out of high school by the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and after his junior year at Florida State by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 24th round. However, he saw football as more important and signed with the Giants.
During a layoff from football in 2001, Kanell returned to baseball, playing in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
's Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
. He played at first base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. Kanell said he wanted to eventually play for the Yankees, as he grew up idolizing Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
.
Broadcasting career
Kanell is currently employed by ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, teaming with Pam Ward
Pam Ward
Pam Ward is an on-air personality for the cable sports television network ESPN.She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in communications....
to call college football
ESPN College Football
ESPN College Football is the branding used for broadcasts of NCAA Division I FBS college football across ESPN properties, including ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, and ESPN Radio...
telecasts for the network and serving as an occasional studio analyst.
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1994-present)