Tim Kearney

Tim Kearney
No. 56, 50
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1950-10-05) October 5, 1950
Place of birth: Kingsford, Michigan
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight: 227 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school: Kingsford High School
College: Northern Michigan
NFL draft: 1972 / Round: 4 / Pick: 83
(By the Dallas Cowboys)
Career history
*Inactive and/or offseason member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 106
Interceptions: 3
Fumble recoveries: 10
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Timothy Edward Kearney (born October 5, 1950 in Kingsford, Michigan) is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Early years

Kearney attended Kingsford High School, before accepting a scholarship to play football at Northern Michigan University. He received Little All-American honors in 1971.[1]

In 1982, he was inducted into the Northern Michigan University Sports Hall of Fame.[2]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Kearney was selected in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, who were the defending Super Bowl champions. He faced a difficult challenge in making the team, after the Cowboys drafted a total of 5 linebackers and had one of the best linebacking corps in NFL history already in place. He was waived on September 7, 1972.[3]

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers claimed him off waivers on September 11, 1972,[4] but was waived three days later to make room for Jon Staggers.[5]

Cincinnati Bengals

Kearney was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals on September 15, 1972.[6] He was a special teams player while backing up Bill Bergey at middle linebacker.

On September 1, 1975, he was traded along with Bernard Jackson to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a draft choice, but the transaction was canceled after both players failed their respective physical exams and Kearney was released.[7]

Kansas City Chiefs

He was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs on September 5, 1975 to backup Willie Lanier.[8] He was waived on September 6, 1976, after his role was taken over by rookie Jimbo Elrod. [9]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kearney was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 13, 1976.[10] He was inactive for one game, before being released on September 20.[11]

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals signed him in 1976 to replace an injured Greg Hartle.[12] The team at the time was known in the media as the "Cardiac Cardinals". He became a starter at inside linebacker in the team´s 3-4 defense, leading the Cardinals in tackles in 1978 and 1980.

In 1979, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a knee injury after the fifth game of the season.[13] He was released on May 20, 1982, after failing a physical exam with a neck injury.[14]

Personal life

His daughter is former Miss Missouri USA Katie Kearney.[15]

References

  1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19711208&id=WyMhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e2YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7534,3977561
  2. http://www.nmu.edu/sports/halloffame
  3. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19720908&id=8rRjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VYEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6912,1163184
  4. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2512&dat=19720912&id=Lb5HAAAAIBAJ&sjid=k_8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5973,1331176
  5. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19720915&id=qq8oAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3629,3243611
  6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19720916&id=3h4WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7220,138788
  7. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1988&dat=19750902&id=43YiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4KwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4783,257423
  8. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19750905&id=qRJZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VUYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4819,1030140
  9. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19760907&id=17YrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A-YFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5390,947252
  10. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19760914&id=J8RaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fl0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5736,4659686
  11. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19760921&id=lppQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eV0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5942,4908334
  12. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1893&dat=19761021&id=CnMpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=O9UEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1434,5871436
  13. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1893&dat=19791010&id=mVofAAAAIBAJ&sjid=09gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4105,5357339
  14. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19820521&id=N_pVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6614,5109856
  15. http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/miss-missouri-optimistic-about-rams/article_dd279bf8-ed45-11e1-a5fb-0019bb30f31a.html
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