Atlanta Falcons

Kerney was drafted as the thirtieth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft

1999 NFL Draft

The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...

 by 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...

, wearing the number 97 jersey. The Falcons signed Kerney to a 5-year $5.6 million contract. As a rookie, Kerney started two games (one at left defensive end and one a left defensive tackle) and recorded 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2000, Kerney was the starting left defensive end and again recorded 2.5 sacks.

In 2001, Kerney recorded 12 sacks. Early in the 2002 season, the Falcons agreed to a seven-year contract extension with Kerney. The deal, which could be voided after five seasons, included a team-record $8.5 million signing bonus. It could have been worth up to $40 million if all incentives were met. He finished the 2002 season with 10.5 sacks while playing left defensive end in a 3-4 defense. He remained at that position in 2003 and recorded 6.5 sacks.

In 2004 the Falcons returned to a 4-3 defense and Kerney responded with his best season up until that time, playing the Pro Bowl

Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...

 for the first time and recording career-highs in tackles (66), sacks (13) and passes defensed (9). He was also voted second-team All-Pro

All-Pro

All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...

 by the Associated Press

Associated Press

The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

.

In 2006 Kerney moved to right defensive end as a starter and moved to left defensive end in passing situations (newly acquired free agent John Abraham played right defensive end in those situations). In Week 9 Kerney's 105-game starting streak came to an end with a torn right pectoral muscle that required surgery. (Kerney was injured while tackling Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden.) The seven games he missed were the only games he has missed in his career. In Kerney's absence, Abraham was the starter at right defensive end.

Seattle Seahawks

On February 23, 2007, Kerney opted out the last two years of his contract 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...

 to become an unrestricted free agent. On March 5, 2007, he signed a six-year, $39.5 million contract with the Seahawks that included $19.5 million in guaranteed money.

With the Seahawks in 2007 he was voted as a starter in the Pro Bowl

Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...

 and led the NFC in sacks with 14.5 (which set a new career-high for Kerney). Kerney also had a career-high 5 forced fumbles and recorded 62 tackles. He missed the Pro Bowl

Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...

 due to shoulder surgery.

On April 13, 2010, Kerney announced his retirement.

Personal life

Patrick is one of six children. He has four sisters and had a brother who died when Patrick was a child. When he first entered the NFL, he set up a foundation in name of his brother called the Lt. Thomas L. Kerney Endowment Fund. The fund provides college scholarships and financial assistance to children of fallen police officers. Kerney donates $1000 per sack he records to the foundation. He is married to former KING 5 Sports reporter Lisa Gangel and has been accepted to Columbia Business School's MBA program beginning in the fall of 2010.

External links

• ESPN Patrick Kerney player page
• Patrick Kerney article on How Stuff Works
• CNNSI.com Draft Video
• Lacrosse launched Kerney's NFL path - Seattle Times - 12-Aug-2007