Kenard Lang facts for kids

Kenard Dushun Lang, born on January 31, 1975, is a former American football player. He was a strong defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos. After his playing career, Kenard became a successful football coach.

Kenard Lang's Football Journey

Growing Up and College Football

Kenard Lang grew up in Orlando, Florida. He went to Maynard Evans High School, where he was a star athlete. He played football, basketball, and baseball. Being a "letterman" means he earned a special award for playing well in these sports.

After high school, Kenard played college football at the University of Miami. He was part of the Miami Hurricanes team in 1994. That team had a great season, winning 10 games and losing only one. They even played in a big game called the Orange Bowl.

Playing in the NFL

In 1997, Kenard Lang was chosen by the Washington Redskins in the NFL Draft. He was the 17th player picked in the very first round! This shows how talented he was. He played for the Redskins until 2001.

After that, he joined the Cleveland Browns. In 2005, the Browns tried to change his position from a defensive end to a linebacker. A defensive end usually tries to tackle the quarterback, while a linebacker has a wider range of duties. This change didn't work out as planned, and he left the team in 2006.

Later in 2006, Kenard signed with the Denver Broncos. He played one season with them before ending his professional playing career in 2007. During his time in the NFL, Kenard made 453 tackles and had 50 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback 50 times! He also forced 13 fumbles, which is when a player loses control of the ball.

Life After Playing: Coaching and Helping Others

After his NFL career, Kenard Lang started coaching football. He wanted to help young players grow and succeed.

In 2008, he became the head coach at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida. He made a huge difference there! The team had won only one game the year before he arrived. But in his first season, he helped them become a playoff team. He coached at Jones High School until 2012.

From 2013 to 2015, Kenard was the head football coach at Wekiva High School in Apopka, Florida. His most recent high school coaching job was at his old school, Evans High School in Orlando. He coached there until 2023.

Now, Kenard Lang is an assistant coach at North Carolina A&T State University. He coaches the defensive line players.

Besides coaching, Kenard also started the Kenard Lang Foundation. This foundation helps people with cancer, supports young people, and promotes education. It shows that Kenard is not just a great football player and coach, but also someone who cares about his community.