Kelly Herndon
Encyclopedia
Kelly Errin Herndon is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football
at Toledo. Although he entered his first NFL camp in 1999, Herndon waited until 2002 to play in his first NFL game. The wait included two training camps with the San Francisco 49ers
, one with the New York Giants
, one season in the XFL
, a spring in Barcelona with NFL Europe
and one season serving on the Giants’ and Denver Broncos
practice squads.
Herndon has been a member of the Las Vegas Outlaws
, Barcelona Dragons
, New York Giants
, Denver Broncos
, Seattle Seahawks
and Tennessee Titans
in his career.
playing for the Seattle Seahawks
, Herndon intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger
pass, returning it 76 yards, establishing a new Super Bowl
record. The record was subsequently broken by James Harrison.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Toledo. Although he entered his first NFL camp in 1999, Herndon waited until 2002 to play in his first NFL game. The wait included two training camps with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, one with 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...
, one season in the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, a spring in Barcelona with NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
and one season serving on the Giants’ and 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...
practice squads.
Herndon has been a member of the Las Vegas Outlaws
Las Vegas Outlaws
The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the short-lived XFL in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax...
, Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
, 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...
, 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...
, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in his career.
Professional career
His most notable performance was in Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
playing for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Herndon intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
pass, returning it 76 yards, establishing a new Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
record. The record was subsequently broken by James Harrison.
Personal
- In Twinsburg, Ohio (population approx. 17,000), a small town about 45 minutes from Canton, there is a sign that reads, "Home of NFL Player Kelly Herndon." The sign was erected in 2004.
- Was a classmate and teammate on Chamberlin High School's basketball team with James PoseyJames PoseyJames Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, currently a small forward for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.-Early life:...
of the New Orleans Hornets. - Was a defensive back on the XFLXFLThe XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
's Las Vegas OutlawsLas Vegas OutlawsThe Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the short-lived XFL in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax...
in 2001 during the leagues one and only season. - Girlfriend gave birth to his sons, KJ, in June 2006 and Kyson in 2010.