By Moses Joshua 
Veteran receiver’s perseverance and playmaking shine as Detroit rewards his relentless drive
A Moment Years in the Making
When head coach Dan Campbell handed Tom Kennedy a game ball, the Detroit Lions’ locker room exploded with emotion. For a player who has spent most of his career fighting for every opportunity, it was validation—loud, heartfelt, and long overdue.
Kennedy, 29, arrived in Detroit in 2019 as an undrafted free agent and has spent much of his professional life on the fringes of the roster. While many in his situation would have drifted out of the league or lost confidence, Kennedy kept grinding, improving, and embracing every role the team asked of him.
Now a member of the Lions’ 53-man roster, he repaid the team’s trust with a standout performance in the return game against the Dallas Cowboys, turning a long-awaited opportunity into impact that couldn’t be ignored.
A Coach’s Admiration: “Nobody Deserves the Attention More”
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp could barely contain his excitement when talking about Kennedy’s breakthrough.
“Great problem to have. Obviously number one I would say this, I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am for Tom Kennedy,” Fipp said. “I mean, there’s nobody who deserves the attention and the recognition more than him in this building… Never, ever complained about the reps he’s getting, the opportunity he’s getting.”
Fipp highlighted something coaches can’t track on a clipboard or stopwatch—Kennedy’s unshakeable drive. He emphasized how elite returners elevate everyone around them, acknowledging that Kennedy’s decisiveness and ball-handling energized the blocking unit and maximized every crease they created.
What separates Kennedy, Fipp explained, is something far deeper than traditional measurables.
As he recalled his father telling him, “‘The one thing they have not figured out how to measure is what’s in your heart and what’s in your mind.’ And that’s the greatest thing about this game too, you just can’t measure that stuff.”
For Kennedy, that immeasurable quality has carried him through years of waiting, competing, and refusing to let the moment pass him by.
“When it comes out like it did for him on that game, it’s just incredible to watch,” Fipp added. “The power of the human spirit… he gets the chance and he just lets it rip. So, it was awesome.”
A Trusted Fit in Detroit’s Culture
Kennedy’s toughness and work ethic have made him a respected presence within the Lions’ locker room. He represents the kind of player who embodies Detroit’s identity—resilient, humble, and committed to doing the dirty work that often goes unnoticed.
He’s the guy teammates root for. The guy coaches trust. The guy who never lets the grind beat him.
And now, he’s proving he belongs exactly where he is.
Moving Forward: Defined Roles, Expanded Impact
With Kalif Raymond returning from an ankle injury, Fipp now has the luxury of deploying multiple dynamic returners. Kennedy’s emergence gives Detroit flexibility—and a reason to keep him involved.
“Yeah, he’ll be back there on kickoff return,” Fipp confirmed. While Raymond is expected to resume punt return duties, Kennedy’s strong showing cemented his place as Detroit’s primary kickoff returner.
This division of responsibilities also helps Raymond manage a significant offensive workload.
“That also helps balance Leaf’s load,” Fipp said. “He plays a lot of offense for us… that will help balance his workload too.”
For Kennedy, it’s another well-earned chapter in a story defined by persistence and passion—not physical traits or testing metrics.
A Player Who Can’t Be Measured on Paper
Tom Kennedy is more than a depth receiver, more than a practice squad survivor, more than a placeholder. He’s proof that heart, grit, and readiness can outshine measurables.
And now that his opportunity has arrived, he’s making it count—just like everyone who has watched him grind for years knew he would.