When the Arizona Cardinals announced they agreed to terms with linebacker Devon Kennard, they were bringing home another hometown player. Kennard not only played high school ball in Phoenix, he also brings a Cardinals legacy in his family.
His father played for the Cardinals in the late 80s and 90s.
According to the Cardinals’ Mark Dalton, who is the head of media relations, when Devon plays for the Cardinals for the first time, it will be the third time in team history in which a father and son both played for them.
The other two father-son combos are Kevin Butler and son Drew Butler, and them Terry Metcalf and his son Eric.
Let’s find out more about these other father-son combos.
Derek Kennard
The older Kennard was an offensive lineman and played 11 years in the NFL. He played for the Cardinals from 1986-90. Two seasons were in St. Louis and three were in Arizona when the team was called the Phoenix Cardinals. He played in 73 games in five seasons, starting 67 of them.
Kevin Butler
Butler was an NFL kicker for 13 years. 11 of them were spent with the Chicago Bears, but he played his final two seasons for the Cardinals in 1996 and 1997. He only played in 13 games those two seasons, making 22-of-29 field goals and 26-of-29 extra points.
Drew Butler
The younger Butler played three seasons for the Cardinals from 2014-2016 as their punter. He averaged 42.4 yards per attempt before being cut midway through the 2016 season.
Terry Metcalf
Metcalf played five seasons for the Cardinals from 1973-1977. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, excelling in the return game. He scored 36 total touchdowns in those five seasons.
Eric Metcalf
The younger Metcalf played 13 years in the NFL, following in the footsteps of his father as an impact returner. He played one season for the Cardinals, in 1998 when they made the playoffs, catching 31 passes and handling punt and kick return duties.
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