DANNY AMENDOLA
Position: Wide receiver
Ht/Wt: 5-11, 185
College: Texas Tech
Experience: 11th season
View photos of wide receiver Danny Amendola from Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) warms up on Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) warms up on Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) warms up on Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (11) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) fields a punt during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during Day 7 of Detroit Lions Training Camp presented by Rocket Mortgage on Thursday, August 1, 2019 in Allen Park, Mich.
Outlook: Amendola was signed this offseason to add a veteran receiver to the offense with experience playing in the slot. Amendola spent last season with the Miami Dolphins and played the five years before that with the New England Patriots, so Lions head coach Matt Patricia has a lot of familiarity with him.
Amendola, 33, has 485 career catches and has had at least 575 receiving yards in five of the last seven seasons.
He pairs with Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. to make up a veteran receiving trio in Detroit with a wide range of skill sets. Coordinator Darrell Bevell wants his offense to be multiple. Amendola's experience in the slot should help with that.
Amendola's been a playmaker and steady target for quarterback Matthew Stafford throughout the first week of camp. The two seem to be building a nice rapport.
Practice report: Not only has Amendola been the slot receiver with the first-team offense all camp, but he's also taken reps returning punts and kickoffs too.
Even at 33 year old, Amendola doesn't seem to have lost a bit of his quickness. It really jumps out in one-on-one drills with the defensive backs. He used his quickness and precise route running to separate from cornerback Jamal Agnew in the first rep of one-on-ones for a touchdown catch.
Amendola even involved the fans after the play. After reaching the end zone, he threw the ball into the stands to a group of youth football players who had assembled in front of the bleachers to get a closer look at the drill. All the boys went for the catch and the ball inevitably fell back onto the field. Amendola ran over, grabbed the ball, and as all the boys were yelling for a second chance to make a catch, Amendola had a little fun with them and faked another throw before returning to the drill. It got a rise out of the boys.
Amendola made a couple catches later in practice in a two-minute team period to help the offense get into field goal range.
His best play of practice, however, came in a red zone period late in practice. He beat slot corner Justin Coleman to the pylon for a touchdown catch late in the period.
Quotable: "You've got to love Danny Amendola," Patricia said. "You've got to love everything he brings, every single day. He's probably one of the most intense people you're going to talk about. When you're passionate about the game of football, like we all are and like he is, passion breeds passion.
"He's like everybody else. He's got a lot of work to do and improve, but as a person he's a football guy. He loves the game. He loves being around the guys. He loves every aspect of it. All that energy is contagious."
