Junior Hemingway facts for kids
Hemingway with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014
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| No. 88 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 27, 1988 Conway, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Conway | ||||||
| College: | Michigan | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 7 / Pick: 238 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Kenneth Earl "Junior" Hemingway Jr. (born December 27, 1988) is a former American professional football player. He played as a wide receiver, catching passes from the quarterback. Junior Hemingway was picked by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2012 NFL draft.
He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines football team. In his final college season in 2011, he caught the most passes and gained the most receiving yards for his team. He also scored many touchdowns. Hemingway was known for gaining many yards after each catch. He was even named the Most Outstanding Player in the 2012 Sugar Bowl.
Contents
Junior Hemingway: A Football Star
Early Life and High School Football
Junior Hemingway grew up playing football. In high school, he was considered one of the best wide receivers in the country. Different sports experts ranked him very highly. For example, ESPN said he was the 4th best high school wide receiver.
In 2006, before his senior year, USA Today listed him as a player to watch. This was because he had caught 56 passes for 846 yards and 10 touchdowns. He played in a special game called the North-South Game of the Carolinas. This showed how talented he was.
College Football Journey
Starting at Michigan
Junior Hemingway started playing for the Michigan team in 2007. He played in 10 games as a freshman. His first catches came in a game against Eastern Michigan. He also caught a pass in a big bowl game, the 2008 Capital One Bowl.
Overcoming Challenges
In his second year, Junior faced a challenge. He got sick with mononucleosis and missed many games. Because of this, he was given a medical redshirt. This meant he could play an extra year of college football later.
In 2009, he had a great start to the season. He caught five passes for a career-high in yards and scored two touchdowns. However, he later missed a game due to an ankle injury. He also played through back problems that year.
Standout Seasons
In 2010, Junior Hemingway had three games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. He also scored two touchdowns in another game. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury. Still, he gained 593 yards on 32 catches. He led his conference in yards per catch, averaging 18.5 yards. This was one of the best averages in the nation.
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His senior year in 2011 was even better. He set a new personal record with 165 receiving yards in a game against Notre Dame. This was during the first night game ever played at Michigan Stadium. He also had another game with 124 yards.
After the 2011 season, he was recognized as an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten Conference team. In the 2012 Sugar Bowl, he scored both of his team's touchdowns. This helped Michigan win in overtime, and he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the game. He finished the season with 34 catches for 699 yards and four touchdowns. His average of 20.6 yards per catch was the best in his conference and third best in the entire Division I FBS.
Becoming a Pro Football Player
NFL Draft and Early Career
Junior Hemingway was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in 2012. This is where college players show off their skills to professional teams. He performed very well in several drills. For example, he was first among wide receivers in the 3 cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
The Kansas City Chiefs chose him in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was the 238th player picked overall. He signed a four-year contract with the Chiefs in May 2012. He was initially part of the practice squad, which is a group of players who train with the team.
Playing for the Kansas City Chiefs
In the 2013 preseason, Junior Hemingway led the Chiefs in catches and touchdowns. He earned a spot as one of the team's main wide receivers. In the first game of the 2013 season, he caught his first NFL touchdown. This was a special moment for him.
He continued to make important catches throughout the season. In one game against the Denver Broncos, he caught three passes, including the first touchdown of the game. He finished the season with 13 catches for 125 yards. He also played in the 2013–14 NFL playoffs for the Chiefs.
In 2014, Junior Hemingway injured his hamstring during a game in October. On September 1, 2015, the Chiefs decided to release him from the team.
Off the Field
Junior Hemingway has a younger brother named Tonka Hemingway. Tonka also plays football as a defensive tackle for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
