Kenny McKinley
Encyclopedia
Kendrick L. McKinley was an American football
wide receiver
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at South Carolina
.
, he graduated from South Cobb High School in Austell
in 2005. During his senior year, he passed for 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 750 yards while scoring 12 touchdowns. He was rated the 29th-best player in the state of Georgia and the 54th-best athlete in the country by Rivals.com.
During his sophomore year in 2006, McKinley started all 13 games and recorded 51 receptions and 880 yards, which ranked second on the team behind Sidney Rice
. McKinley's best game was an eight-catch, 110-yard effort against Auburn, the first 100-yard receiving day in his career.
He would go on to earn first-team honors from: the SEC coaches (All-SEC), the Associated Press and CollegeFootballNews.com. He was second-team All-SEC by Rivals.com and honorable mention All-America honors from CollegeFootballNews.com.
Despite playing with turf toe
most of the year, as the Gamecocks'
#1 receiver, McKinley not only led the team but led the Southeastern Conference (SEC)
in receptions (a then school-record 77), receptions per game (6.42) and in receiving yards per game (80.7). He also was number one at South Carolina
in yards (968) and touchdowns (9). He had four 100-yard receiving games in 2007, including a school record 14 catch performance against Tennessee
where he had a career-best 151 yards.
In 2008, McKinley entered his senior year as an All-America
candidate that was in position to break every
South Carolina
school career receiving record. He began the 2008 campaign ranked tied for fourth in career receptions (153), sixth in career receiving yards (2,139) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (15) in Carolina history. Despite being out of the lineup for a three-game stretch due to a right hamstring
strain, he set school career records for receptions and receiving yards, while also closing out his career second on the school's all-time touchdown catches list. McKinley also placed his name in the SEC
record books. His 207 receptions placed third in conference annals, becoming just the fifth SEC player to amass more than 200 catches in a career. He also became the 12th player in league history to record more than 2,700 receiving yards (2,781).
in the fifth round, 5th pick (141st overall) during the 2009 NFL Draft
. McKinley played in eight games in 2009 as a kick returner. He returned seven kicks for a total of 158 yards. He also recorded 3 special teams tackles.
He was placed on injured reserve
with a knee injury on December 28, 2009.
A 131-page report was released by the Arapahoe County
Sheriff's Department on December 1, 2010, concluding the investigation into McKinley's death. It stated that depression
over debt, injury and his post-playing career were the main factors for his suicide. The report stated that McKinley had a gambling problem and was deep in debt.
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for 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...
of 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...
. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. 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 South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
.
Early years
Born in Mableton, GeorgiaMableton, Georgia
Mableton is a census-designated place in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a population of 37,115.It was named for Robert Mable, who in 1843 bought 300 acres of land on September 11...
, he graduated from South Cobb High School in Austell
Austell, Georgia
Austell is a city in Cobb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,581.-History:Austell used to be known as Salt Springs, and was frequented by hunters who would trap and hunt game on their way to the salt licks. Some enterprising hunters claimed...
in 2005. During his senior year, he passed for 1,470 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 750 yards while scoring 12 touchdowns. He was rated the 29th-best player in the state of Georgia and the 54th-best athlete in the country by Rivals.com.
Collegiate career
As a true freshman in 2005, he worked his way into the starting lineup at wide receiver and also handled the punt return duties. He started six games and ranked third on the team with 25 catches for 291 yards and returned 18 punts for 83 yards.During his sophomore year in 2006, McKinley started all 13 games and recorded 51 receptions and 880 yards, which ranked second on the team behind Sidney Rice
Sidney Rice
-Minnesota Vikings :Rice was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He signed a four year contract with the Vikings in 2007....
. McKinley's best game was an eight-catch, 110-yard effort against Auburn, the first 100-yard receiving day in his career.
He would go on to earn first-team honors from: the SEC coaches (All-SEC), the Associated Press and CollegeFootballNews.com. He was second-team All-SEC by Rivals.com and honorable mention All-America honors from CollegeFootballNews.com.
Despite playing with turf toe
Turf toe
A metatarsalphalangeal joint sprain is an injury to the joint and connective tissue between the foot and one of the toes. When the big toe is involved, it is known as "turf toe".-Causes:...
most of the year, as the Gamecocks'
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
#1 receiver, McKinley not only led the team but led the Southeastern Conference (SEC)
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in receptions (a then school-record 77), receptions per game (6.42) and in receiving yards per game (80.7). He also was number one at South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
in yards (968) and touchdowns (9). He had four 100-yard receiving games in 2007, including a school record 14 catch performance against Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
where he had a career-best 151 yards.
In 2008, McKinley entered his senior year as an 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...
candidate that was in position to break every
South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
school career receiving record. He began the 2008 campaign ranked tied for fourth in career receptions (153), sixth in career receiving yards (2,139) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (15) in Carolina history. Despite being out of the lineup for a three-game stretch due to a right hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
strain, he set school career records for receptions and receiving yards, while also closing out his career second on the school's all-time touchdown catches list. McKinley also placed his name in the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
record books. His 207 receptions placed third in conference annals, becoming just the fifth SEC player to amass more than 200 catches in a career. He also became the 12th player in league history to record more than 2,700 receiving yards (2,781).
Professional career
McKinley was drafted by the Denver BroncosDenver 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...
in the fifth round, 5th pick (141st overall) during the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. McKinley played in eight games in 2009 as a kick returner. He returned seven kicks for a total of 158 yards. He also recorded 3 special teams tackles.
He 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...
with a knee injury on December 28, 2009.
Death
McKinley was found dead on September 20, 2010, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death was reported as a suicide by local media, and later confirmed by members of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's office.A 131-page report was released by the Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 487,967 people, 190,909 households, and 125,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 608 people per square mile . There were 196,835 housing units at an average density of 245 per square mile...
Sheriff's Department on December 1, 2010, concluding the investigation into McKinley's death. It stated that depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
over debt, injury and his post-playing career were the main factors for his suicide. The report stated that McKinley had a gambling problem and was deep in debt.