Joins the Lions after spending his first four seasons with the Giants (2014-17). Entered the League as a fifth-round pick (147th overall) and played 52 games before coming to Detroit.

MANE FACTS

• NFC Defensive Player of the Week: 2014 (Week 14).

TRANSACTIONS

• Signed by the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent on March 15, 2018.
• Placed on Injured/Reserve (foot, hamstring) on December 28, 2015.
• Drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.

PRO

Joins the Lions after spending his first four seasons with the Giants (2014-17). Entered the League as a fifth-round pick (147th overall) and played 52 games before coming to Detroit.

2018: Recorded a team high six tackles (four solo) and 1.0 sack against the New York Jets (9/10) in his first game as a Lion.

• Contributed four tackles, 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss at the San Francisco 49ers (9/16). He became the first Lions linebacker to produce a sack in consecuative games since Stephan Tulloch did so in 2014. He also is the first Lions linebacker to record sacks in each of the first two games to open a season since Jimmy Williams did so in 1985. 
• Notched two quarterback hits against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 3 (9/23).
• Recorded his fourth sack of the season, five tackles (two solo) and two tackles for loss against Dallas (9/30). His 4.0 sacks is the most a Lions linebacker has ever produced through the first four games of a season. 
• Recorded his fifth sack of the season against the Packers (10/7), setting a single-season career high, and posted his first fumble recovery of the season. Also recorded a sack in his fourth game of the season. This marks the most sacks a Lions linebacker has ever produced through five games.
• Posted five solo tackles and one quarterback hit against QB Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in Week 8 (10/28).
• Recorded four tackles (three solo) and 1.0 sack in Week 11 against the Panthers (11/18). This marks his sixth sack of the season, extending his personal high. Kennard is the first Lions linebacker to have 6.0 sacks through Week 11 since 1990 (Michael Cofer).
• Finished with four tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss against the Bills in Week 15 (12/16). Recorded his seventh sack of the season, a team and career-high, and became the first linebacker in team history to reach 7.0-or-more sacks through Week 15 of a single season since Mike Cofer did so in 1990. 

2017: Recorded 41 tackles (24 solo), four sacks and two pass defenses on the season.

• Tied a season-high five tackles in Week 2 against Detroit (9/18).
• Recorded his first sack of the season in Week 3 at Philadelphia (9//24).

2016: Played in all 16 regular season games (nine starts) for the first time in his career, finishing the season with a career-high 58 tackles (38 solo), 1.0 sack one pass defense, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

• Tied a season-high six tackles in Week 3 against Washington (9/25).
• Posted a season-high five solo tackles in Week 6 against Baltimore (10/16).
• Recorded his first sack of the season in Week 14 against Dallas (12/11).

2015: Started all nine games in which he played in. Inactive in Week 5 and 6 due to a calf injury, before missing the final five games with injuries.

• Recorded nine tackles in Week 2 against Atlanta (9/20).
• Recorded his first-career interception in Week 4 at Buffalo (10/4).
• Posted a career-high 10 tackles in Week 12 at Washington (11/29).

2014: Played in 12 games (six starts) as a rookie, totaling 43 tackles (36 solo) and 4.5 sacks on the season.

• Posted a season-high nine tackles in Week 11 against San Francisco (11/16).
• Recorded seven solo tackles in Week 15 against Washington (12/14).

COLLEGE

Played in 51 games (32 starts) for the Trojans, finishing with 195 tackles (95 solo), 13.0 sacks, eight pass defenses and one interception.

• Finalist for the 2013 Lott Impact Trophy.
• Selected to the All Pac-12 second team in 2013.
• Voted USC’s Most Inspirational Player by his teammates his senior season.
• Winner of the Trojan Way Leadership Award in 2013.
• Winner of the Trojan Football Alumni Club Award for the top GPA in 2013.

PERSONAL

Attended Desert Vista High School.

• Son of Derek Kennard, an All-American offensive lineman at Nevada and former NFL player and Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys.
• Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in communications management.