Former Lehigh football player joins the Steelhawks

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Former Lehigh University defensive back John Kennedy has made the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks roster after a successful tryout.

Kennedy, who is from Philadelphia, was both a defensive back and return specialist for Mountain Hawks. He played in 45 games in his career, and recorded 135 tackles. He led the team in all-purpose yards in 2007 (1,087 yds), 2009 (794 yds), and was second on the team in 2008 (775 yds). Kennedy holds the record at Lehigh for the longest kick return, 92 yds (2009).

He was selected to the All-Patriot League 1st team as a defensive back (2009 & 2010), and to the 2nd team as a return specialist (2007 and 2009).

Kennedy's biggest moments may have come in back-to-back games -- albeit nearly 10 months apart.

His 94-yard interception sealed Lehigh's 31-15 win over Lafayette at the end of the 2008 season, a key win since it snapped the Mountain Hawks' four-game losing streak to the Leopards.

And then he opened the 2009 season with a 92-yard kickoff return against Central Connecticut State, a 28-21 loss for Lehigh.

After three losing seasons to start his career at Lehigh, Kennedy was instrumental in the 2010 season when Lehigh turned it around, going 10-3 and winning the Patriot League title and beating Northern Iowa in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

The vastly revamped Steelhawks, featuring plenty of roster changes and a new head coach after a 4-10 season a year ago, open their second season on Feb. 25 at Chicago. The home opener is slated for March 10 at Stabler Arena.

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