The Guy Denver should have kept! - The Orange Mane

Atlas · 05-31-2006, 01:49 AM

Kelly Herndon Finishing What He Started
contributed by Staff Writer 05/30/2006

Nearly Eight Years After He Left UT to Pursue His NFL Career, Former Rocket and Super Bowl Hero Kelly Herndon is Set to Receive His Degree in Psychology Next Month

SoCals link: http://www.toledorocketfans.com/arti...?articleID=374

By Paul Helgren
Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

Kelly Herndon’s efforts to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo parallel his determination to make it in the NFL. It’s been a long, hard road, and 2006 saw the payoff for him in both journeys.

After battling for years to earn a regular role with the Denver Broncos, Herndon signed a large free- agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks last year. A very solid season by Herndon culminated with his appearance at the 2006 Super Bowl at Detroit’s Ford Field where he set a Super Bowl record with a 76-yard interception return.

Playing in the Super Bowl temporarily prevented Herndon from reaching his other goal: earning his diploma from UT. Because the Super Bowl extended his season to Feb. 5, Herndon was not able to sign up for spring semester classes, instead waiting until this May to return and complete his work in the summer. His academic journey, which began when he enrolled at UT as a freshman in 1995, will be complete on June 23, provided he passes his two classes.

Herndon, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, played cornerback at UT from 1995-98. His blazing speed helped him sign as a free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 1999. When he departed from school to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, he was about a full year shy of earning his degree. But there was never any doubt in his mind he would one day graduate from college.

“I switched majors from electrical engineering to psychology during my junior year so that put me behind in getting my degree,” said Herndon. “But I don’t like not finishing things. I worked hard at my academics when I was playing college football. I wanted that hard work to pay off. I also wanted to make my mother proud. And my father (who is deceased), I know he’s looking down and is proud of me, too.”

Herndon started taking classes again three years ago and has slowly inched his way toward his degree. Until this spring, all his work was done via the internet. His final two classes, a research lab and a classroom course, “Research Methods,” require him to take the classes in person, so for the first time since 1998 he’s back on campus as just another student. Just another student with an NFC championship ring on his finger, that is.

Herndon’s determination to graduate should serve as an example to all current and former UT student-athletes, according to head football coach Tom Amstutz.

“We’re very proud of Kelly. He came here to get a degree and he’s been determined to do that,”“He’s been doing great work in the NFL but he never lost sight of his goal. Even though he’s financially secure, he still understands the importance of getting his degree. That’s a great message for the players in our program.”

Herndon’s drive to succeed obviously extends to the playing field. It would have been easy for him to be discouraged from his dream of playing in the NFL but he never gave up. Not when he went undrafted. Not when he was cut by the 49ers, or when he logged thousands of miles playing everywhere from Barcelona, Spain for NFL Europe to Arena League destinations like Raleigh, NC and Columbus, OH.

Those travels early in Herndon’s career prevented him from going back to school right away. But once he got established with the Broncos, he put his mind back on earning his degree.

“It’s been somewhat of a struggle trying to finish my degree,” said Herndon. “Starting and stopping your school work is more difficult than going to school straight through. After so many years, you can forget some things. The class I’m in now has concepts that I haven’t studied in eight years. Plus it requires a lot of off-season conditioning to play in the NFL. You can relax for about a month after the season to let your body heal and that’s about it.”

Herndon needed extra time to heal this year because the Seahawks made it all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh, 21-10. Herndon counts the experience as one of the highlights of his life.

“Playing in the Super Bowl was the best feeling in the world,” said Herndon. “It’s such a big stage. You know people from all over the world are watching. Not everybody who plays in the NFL gets that chance. It’s also pretty amazing to think that my name is in the record book for longest interception return.”

Herndon ran that interception back 76 yards to the Pittsburgh 20-yard line, setting up the Seahawks’ only touchdown. It was undoubtedly the biggest moment of his sporting life.

Less than five months later, Herndon is expecting to reach another milestone. And that, undoubtedly, will be the biggest moment of his academic life.

SoCalBronco · 05-31-2006, 01:51 AM

I am glad for him. Go Kelly!

Crushaholic · 05-31-2006, 01:52 AM

Way to go, Mr. Herndon...

Atlas · 05-31-2006, 02:10 AM

In other news. Lenny Walls is 6'5"

Crushaholic · 05-31-2006, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlas

In other news. Lenny Walls is 6'5"

...and the Chiefs think he's something special...

Bob's your Information Minister · 05-31-2006, 02:23 AM

The Chiefs should have signed Herndon instead of that bum Bell.

BroncoBuff · 05-31-2006, 02:37 AM

Any thread with this title .... that doesn't include the words:

Bertrand

and...
Berry

is a silly, silly thread. It's just not your day, Atlas my pal.

Atlas · 05-31-2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff1

Any thread with this title .... that doesn't include the words:

Bertrand

and...
Berry

is a silly, silly thread. It's just not your day, Atlas my pal.

Don't worry my friend the day is still very young!!!! I'll have plenty of chances to redeem myself.

BroncoBuff · 05-31-2006, 02:43 AM

Kidding, Atlas ... actually I liked Herndon a lot, but D-Will and Foxworth numbed the pain of that loss like a fine opiate ...

Actually, next to Bertie, I'd like to have Kenoy Kennedy back ... lay a little wood on Gates and Gonzalez like he used to ....

Atlas · 05-31-2006, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff1

Kidding, Atlas ... actually I liked Herndon a lot, but D-Will and Foxworth numbed the pain of that loss like a fine opiate ...

Actually, next to Bertie, I'd like to have Kenoy Kennedy back ... lay a little wood on Gates and Gonzalez like he used to ....

Screw Kennedy. Fergy played better than Kennedy ever did. Herndan would have been great for the rooks, they could have learned a lot from him. He also would have provided much needed depth. Afterall, D. Will was hurt last year in the playoffs. Herndan would have helped immensly.

Kaylore · 05-31-2006, 02:50 AM

Yup. We miffed that one. Should have ditched Walls and kept Herndon. Oh, well. You can't win them all and we've got D-Wil and 'Nique.

Rocket 7 · 05-31-2006, 03:05 AM

Chris Hinton and Mark Herrmann would of been great players for the Broncos

Drek · 05-31-2006, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlas

Screw Kennedy. Fergy played better than Kennedy ever did. Herndan would have been great for the rooks, they could have learned a lot from him. He also would have provided much needed depth. Afterall, D. Will was hurt last year in the playoffs. Herndan would have helped immensly.

Ferguson is a damned scrub. His lack of play recognition outright cost us the Giants game last year, as well as a touchdown against Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game. He doesn't recognize a damn thing going on around him, especially not WRs running wide open into his coverage areas.

The only thing that really disapointed me about this off-season is that we haven't found a warm body to take his job. Hopefully Paymah, Browner, or Cox gets him cut before we the end of pre-season.

As for Herndon, he wouldn't make our nickle back at this point so it doesn't really make me break into tears not having him around. Plus he's real close to the wrong side of 30. I bet he's happy as **** that we let him go too, if we'd kept him for another year he would never have gotten the fat deal Seattle gave him, and probably would never have topped $2M in single season salary.

Berry or Hayward are our two biggest losses to FA in recent years. I'd have to say Berry, as Hayward got outright PAID by Jacksonville. Bert got a nice deal, but not anything so impressive that we couldn't have comfortably matched it. However, the FO figured that Hayward could step in and fill Berry's shoes, which he did, but then we lost him to FA as well.

Mile High Shack · 05-31-2006, 06:38 AM

the Broncos should hire me to evaluate their CB talent

I called that one since 2003, stupid Walls...yeah I'm patting myself on the back but how could would a secondary of Champ, DWill, Foxy and Herndon look? Dare anyone to go 5 wide on us.

anyway, apparently he had run ins with team mates here, so that is why they didn't keep him primarily

Orange_Beard · 05-31-2006, 07:01 AM

This guy has been replaced.
IMHO: Bert Berry is the one that got away.

BroncoInferno · 05-31-2006, 07:10 AM

You people seem to think Herndon played great for Seattle or something. He didn't. He was the same 'OK but nothing special guy' for them that he was for us.

Mile High Shack · 05-31-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoInferno

You people seem to think Herndon played great for Seattle or something. He didn't. He was the same 'OK but nothing special guy' for them that he was for us.

yeah
keeping mr. "i'm very tall" over Herndon was a great move

BroncoInferno · 05-31-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mile High Shack

yeah
keeping mr. "i'm very tall" over Herndon was a great move

Not in hindsight, but it made sense at the time. Walls already had a near Pro Bowl caliber season in 2003 (the revisionist history on this board aside), then an injury plagued '04. Herndon was a journeyman type with not much of a ceiling. Yeah, if they could have forseen that Walls was going to lose his confidence, then you go with Herndon. But, at the time, it made perfect sense to go with the youngster who had already played at a fairly high level when healthy over a guy who will never be more than 'OK'.

Arkansas Bronco · 05-31-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff1

Any thread with this title .... that doesn't include the words:

Bertrand

and...
Berry

is a silly, silly thread. It's just not your day, Atlas my pal.

Absolutly. Dude still puts up big sack numbers on the Card's line. We should have invested in him when we had the chance.

baja · 05-31-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlas

Screw Kennedy. Fergy played better than Kennedy ever did. Herndan would have been great for the rooks, they could have learned a lot from him. He also would have provided much needed depth. Afterall, D. Will was hurt last year in the playoffs. Herndan would have helped immensly.

The difference between Herndan and players like Berry or Kennedy is we could not afford these guys while we easily could have kept Kelly by signing him to the offer sheet we gave Walls.

Archie · 05-31-2006, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff1

Any thread with this title .... that doesn't include the words:

Bertrand

and...
Berry

is a silly, silly thread. It's just not your day, Atlas my pal.

I totally agree this this statement....

fontaine · 05-31-2006, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baja fan

The difference between Herndan and players like Berry or Kennedy is we could not afford these guys while we easily could have kept Kelly by signing him to the offer sheet we gave Walls.

Exactly. Yes we should have kept Herndon, but we had no choice with Berry.

The Cards had enough cap space (like they do every year) to have Berry's first year cap charge be roughly around 5million +base+bonuses. In his FIRST season.**

We simply didn't have enough room to accomodate that.

**Just in case I accidently heaped kudos on the retardinals organization: That was not my intention, and just to prove what a sack of numbnuts they are - they let Kyle Van DenBosch walk for free when veteran's minimum would have gotten him to camp and his monster sack season.

You suck retardinals. Thanks for giving us Jake.

Tredici · 05-31-2006, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baja fan

The difference between Herndan and players like Berry or Kennedy is we could not afford these guys while we easily could have kept Kelly by signing him to the offer sheet we gave Walls.

I don't think so.

"Herndon signed a large free- agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks last year."

BroncoInferno · 05-31-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tredici

I don't think so.

"Herndon signed a large free- agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks last year."

He's right. We gave Herndon the low-ball tender of around $700,000, which carries with it no compensation if the player signs elsewhere and the team doesn't match. Walls got the larger $1.4 million tender, which requires 1st round compensation if another team signs the player. We could have given that tender to Herndon instead of Walls, though it is undrestandable why they did not.

Tredici · 05-31-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoInferno

He's right. We gave Herndon the low-ball tender of around $700,000, which carries with it no compensation if the player signs elsewhere and the team doesn't match. Walls got the larger $1.4 million tender, which requires 1st round compensation if another team signs the player. We could have given that tender to Herndon instead of Walls, though it is undrestandable why they did not.

I thought Herndon had professed he wanted to test the market. Probably my bad.

05-31-2006, 01:49 AM	#1
Atlas Draft Defense Early&Often Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 18,526	The Guy Denver should have kept! Kelly Herndon Finishing What He Started contributed by Staff Writer 05/30/2006 Nearly Eight Years After He Left UT to Pursue His NFL Career, Former Rocket and Super Bowl Hero Kelly Herndon is Set to Receive His Degree in Psychology Next Month SoCals link: http://www.toledorocketfans.com/arti...?articleID=374 By Paul Helgren Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Kelly Herndon’s efforts to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo parallel his determination to make it in the NFL. It’s been a long, hard road, and 2006 saw the payoff for him in both journeys. After battling for years to earn a regular role with the Denver Broncos, Herndon signed a large free- agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks last year. A very solid season by Herndon culminated with his appearance at the 2006 Super Bowl at Detroit’s Ford Field where he set a Super Bowl record with a 76-yard interception return. Playing in the Super Bowl temporarily prevented Herndon from reaching his other goal: earning his diploma from UT. Because the Super Bowl extended his season to Feb. 5, Herndon was not able to sign up for spring semester classes, instead waiting until this May to return and complete his work in the summer. His academic journey, which began when he enrolled at UT as a freshman in 1995, will be complete on June 23, provided he passes his two classes. Herndon, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, played cornerback at UT from 1995-98. His blazing speed helped him sign as a free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 1999. When he departed from school to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, he was about a full year shy of earning his degree. But there was never any doubt in his mind he would one day graduate from college. “I switched majors from electrical engineering to psychology during my junior year so that put me behind in getting my degree,” said Herndon. “But I don’t like not finishing things. I worked hard at my academics when I was playing college football. I wanted that hard work to pay off. I also wanted to make my mother proud. And my father (who is deceased), I know he’s looking down and is proud of me, too.” Herndon started taking classes again three years ago and has slowly inched his way toward his degree. Until this spring, all his work was done via the internet. His final two classes, a research lab and a classroom course, “Research Methods,” require him to take the classes in person, so for the first time since 1998 he’s back on campus as just another student. Just another student with an NFC championship ring on his finger, that is. Herndon’s determination to graduate should serve as an example to all current and former UT student-athletes, according to head football coach Tom Amstutz. “We’re very proud of Kelly. He came here to get a degree and he’s been determined to do that,”“He’s been doing great work in the NFL but he never lost sight of his goal. Even though he’s financially secure, he still understands the importance of getting his degree. That’s a great message for the players in our program.” Herndon’s drive to succeed obviously extends to the playing field. It would have been easy for him to be discouraged from his dream of playing in the NFL but he never gave up. Not when he went undrafted. Not when he was cut by the 49ers, or when he logged thousands of miles playing everywhere from Barcelona, Spain for NFL Europe to Arena League destinations like Raleigh, NC and Columbus, OH. Those travels early in Herndon’s career prevented him from going back to school right away. But once he got established with the Broncos, he put his mind back on earning his degree. “It’s been somewhat of a struggle trying to finish my degree,” said Herndon. “Starting and stopping your school work is more difficult than going to school straight through. After so many years, you can forget some things. The class I’m in now has concepts that I haven’t studied in eight years. Plus it requires a lot of off-season conditioning to play in the NFL. You can relax for about a month after the season to let your body heal and that’s about it.” Herndon needed extra time to heal this year because the Seahawks made it all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh, 21-10. Herndon counts the experience as one of the highlights of his life. “Playing in the Super Bowl was the best feeling in the world,” said Herndon. “It’s such a big stage. You know people from all over the world are watching. Not everybody who plays in the NFL gets that chance. It’s also pretty amazing to think that my name is in the record book for longest interception return.” Herndon ran that interception back 76 yards to the Pittsburgh 20-yard line, setting up the Seahawks’ only touchdown. It was undoubtedly the biggest moment of his sporting life. Less than five months later, Herndon is expecting to reach another milestone. And that, undoubtedly, will be the biggest moment of his academic life.

05-31-2006, 01:51 AM	#2
SoCalBronco Nixonite Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 33,319 Adopt-a-Bronco: D.J. Williams	I am glad for him. Go Kelly! __________________ ITS A PLAYOFF HOCKEY NIGHT IN PITTSBURGH!

05-31-2006, 02:37 AM	#7
BroncoBuff *************** Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 25,440 Adopt-a-Bronco: QUANTERUS SMITH	Any thread with this title .... that doesn't include the words: *Bertrand* and... *Berry* is a silly, silly thread. It's just not your day, Atlas my pal.

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05-31-2006, 01:52 AM	#3
Crushaholic Armchair Poster Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 22,046	Way to go, Mr. Herndon...

05-31-2006, 02:10 AM	#4
Atlas Draft Defense Early&Often Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 18,526	In other news. Lenny Walls is 6'5"

05-31-2006, 02:23 AM	#6
Bob's your Information Minister Chiefs > Broncos Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 25,921 Adopt-a-Bronco: CHRIS KUPER!!!	The Chiefs should have signed Herndon instead of that bum Bell.

05-31-2006, 02:43 AM	#9
BroncoBuff *************** Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 25,440 Adopt-a-Bronco: QUANTERUS SMITH	Kidding, Atlas ... actually I liked Herndon a lot, but D-Will and Foxworth numbed the pain of that loss like a fine opiate ... Actually, next to Bertie, I'd like to have Kenoy Kennedy back ... lay a little wood on Gates and Gonzalez like he used to ....

05-31-2006, 02:50 AM	#11
Kaylore 6-37, Raider fans. Yummy birds and snow! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ceti Alpha V Posts: 41,076 Adopt-a-Bronco: Wesley Duke	Yup. We miffed that one. Should have ditched Walls and kept Herndon. Oh, well. You can't win them all and we've got D-Wil and 'Nique.

05-31-2006, 03:05 AM	#12
Rocket 7 Formerly known as Dipso Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 4,723 Adopt-a-Bronco: Paul Smith 70	Chris Hinton and Mark Herrmann would of been great players for the Broncos

05-31-2006, 06:38 AM	#14
Mile High Shack Ring of Famer Cock-a-doodle-do Join Date: May 2001 Location: Somewhere Posts: 17,010	the Broncos should hire me to evaluate their CB talent I called that one since 2003, stupid Walls...yeah I'm patting myself on the back but how could would a secondary of Champ, DWill, Foxy and Herndon look? Dare anyone to go 5 wide on us. anyway, apparently he had run ins with team mates here, so that is why they didn't keep him primarily

05-31-2006, 07:01 AM	#15
Orange_Beard Over Jay Cutler Todd Snider Rules! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Leucadia, CA Posts: 7,836 Adopt-a-Bronco: Tony Scheffler	This guy has been replaced. IMHO: Bert Berry is the one that got away.

05-31-2006, 07:10 AM	#16
BroncoInferno Ring of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Carolina Posts: 13,003	You people seem to think Herndon played great for Seattle or something. He didn't. He was the same 'OK but nothing special guy' for them that he was for us.