Kenneth Pettway
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Aaron Pettway is an American gridiron football
player who currently plays defensive end
for the Edmonton Eskimos
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL). He previously played in the National Football League
(NFL), having been drafted by the Houston Texans
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. Pettway played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
from 2006–2007 and Green Bay Packers
in 2008 before shifting to the CFL. He played college football
for the Grambling State University
Tigers
.
, Texas
. He attended Gilmer High School in Gilmer, Texas
and was a letterwinner in football, basketball, and track. After attending Southern Arkansas University
(whose Muleriders team was in NCAA Division II), he transferred to Grambling State University
in 2002 and sat out the season pursuant to NCAA transfer rules. He played for the Grambling State Tigers football team
in 2003 and 2004.
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He spent most of his rookie season on the team's practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on December 9. He was inactive for the team's final three regular season contests. An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2006 offseason, Pettway re-signed with the Texans on March 27. He was released by the team during final cuts on September 1.
on October 18, 2006. He was promoted to the active roster on November 8 and went on to play in the seven games for the Jaguars during the 2006 season, registering two sacks in limited action. He was released by the Jaguars during final cuts on August 30, 2008.
on September 30, 2008 after defensive end
Cullen Jenkins
was placed on injured reserve
. He was signed over free agent
defensive end Patrick Chukwurah
, who also worked out for the Packers following Jenkins' injury. The Tennessee Titans
and Pittsburgh Steelers
reportedly showed interest in working out Pettway prior to his signing with Green Bay.
Pettway appeared in eight games for the Packers in 2008, recording four tackles. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
with a knee injury on December 1. He was released by the Packers on April 6, 2009.
of the Canadian Football League
in 2010. He made his first start against the Montreal Alouettes
, replacing an injured Greg Peach
.
when Collier was shot 6 times, leaving him with life-threatening and career-ending injuries. Pettway was unharmed.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
player who currently plays defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL). He previously played 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...
(NFL), having been drafted by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. Pettway played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 2006–2007 and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in 2008 before shifting to the CFL. 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...
for the Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
Tigers
Grambling State Tigers
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in Division I as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference...
.
Early life
Pettway was born in HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He attended Gilmer High School in Gilmer, Texas
Gilmer, Texas
Gilmer is also the name of a county in West Virginia.Gilmer is a town in and the county seat of Upshur County, Texas, United States. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census...
and was a letterwinner in football, basketball, and track. After attending Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University is a public four-year institution located in Magnolia, the seat of Columbia County in Arkansas, United States, not far from the Louisiana state line.-Location:Southern Arkansas University is located in Magnolia, which, as of the census...
(whose Muleriders team was in NCAA Division II), he transferred to Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
in 2002 and sat out the season pursuant to NCAA transfer rules. He played for the Grambling State Tigers football team
Grambling State Tigers football
The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-Black College Football National Championships:...
in 2003 and 2004.
Houston Texans
Pettway was drafted by the Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. He spent most of his rookie season on the team's practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on December 9. He was inactive for the team's final three regular season contests. An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2006 offseason, Pettway re-signed with the Texans on March 27. He was released by the team during final cuts on September 1.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Following his release from the Texans, Pettway was signed to the practice squad of the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 18, 2006. He was promoted to the active roster on November 8 and went on to play in the seven games for the Jaguars during the 2006 season, registering two sacks in limited action. He was released by the Jaguars during final cuts on August 30, 2008.
Green Bay Packers
Pettway was signed by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on September 30, 2008 after defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Cullen Jenkins
Cullen Jenkins
Cullen Darome Jenkins is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He was signed over 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....
defensive end Patrick Chukwurah
Patrick Chukwurah
Patrick C. Chukwurah is a Nigerian defensive end of American football who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, who also worked out for the Packers following Jenkins' injury. The 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...
and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
reportedly showed interest in working out Pettway prior to his signing with Green Bay.
Pettway appeared in eight games for the Packers in 2008, recording four tackles. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a knee injury on December 1. He was released by the Packers on April 6, 2009.
Edmonton Eskimos
Pettway was signed by the Edmonton EskimosEdmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
in 2010. He made his first start against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, replacing an injured Greg Peach
Greg Peach
Greg Peach is a professional Canadian football defensive end for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Eskimos as a street free agent in 2009...
.
Personal
On September 2, 2008, Pettway was in a car with his former Jaguars teammate Richard CollierRichard Collier
Richard Bernard Collier is a former professional American football player. He played offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League from 2006–2008, until a shooting incident left him paralyzed from the waist down, ending his football career.Collier played college...
when Collier was shot 6 times, leaving him with life-threatening and career-ending injuries. Pettway was unharmed.