Getty Tom Kennedy runs away from the Bears in a 2022 game.
The Detroit Lions have been banged-up at wide receiver, and with that in mind, there was always an idea that someone would have to step up and make something happen.
That person for Week 10 was Tom Kennedy. Even though Kennedy was buried on the depth chart and hasn’t made big plays much of the season nor been called upon to do so, he was able to find a way to make the play of the game on Sunday.
On third down late in the fourth quarter, the Lions hit a big play with Kennedy, who shook free and managed to wiggle for 44 yards and get near the red zone. Eventually, the Lions would pay the play off with the game-winning score.
With the game on the line, Kennedy stepped up and managed to make a major play for Detroit:
Coming through training camp, Kennedy was making all the big plays for the Lions, and he managed to make his way back to the team and finally got to show his stuff. For this reason, it was great to see the Lions cash in his big play for a win.
Whether Kennedy gets to stay now or not is another story, but he might deserve it in a big way after this big play to clinch a big win for the Lions.
Dan Campbell: Lions Trust Kennedy
Dating back to the offseason, a common theme for the Lions was the fact that the team trusted Kennedy at wideout. He was seen as one of the most dependable players at the position by the coaching staff.
That showed up in a big way in crunch time, and when the team had to call upon Kennedy to make a play, it was something where the Lions knew they could depend on the wideout to make it happen.
“We trust TK”
“It was big. (Amon-Ra) St. Brown was over on the sideline, we had to lose him for a minute there. TK’s able to come in and help us out and we don’t miss a beat. It was big. We trust TK. He mentally knows all the positions. When his number was called, he showed up,” Campbell said.
Clearly, expect to see more of Kennedy the rest of the way. This play may have earned him a lot of reps the rest of the way.
Jared Goff Praises Kennedy’s Big Play
Campbell wasn’t the only one who loved what they saw from Kennedy in the clutch. Jared Goff had faith in Kennedy to get the job done when his number was called.
As Goff said, the play fit with what the team wanted to do, and was a perfect route in a perfect situation for the wideout.
.@JaredGoff16 on the 44-yard third-down completion to Tom Kennedy on the game-winning drive
“It was a great play call. Something we talked about all week was if we do get man coverage there, how do we want to approach it? There was a couple different ways and we decided on that one. I thought Tom ran a great route. Game was somewhat on the line there, found him open, he ran a great route and made a great play,” Goff said afterward.
It was a great play from a player the Lions trust. Now, Kennedy has a big play in a big moment to hang his hat on. Perhaps that’s all he really needs to stick around.