Kats resign veteran Darryl Hammond
November 3, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
NASHVILLE (Nov. 3, 2005) - The Nashville Kats have re-signed 15-year veteran and ageless wonder Darryl Hammond, head coach Pat Sperduto announced on Thursday. Hammond, who has played in the Arena Football League longer than any player in the history of the sport, was a free agent at the conclusion of a 2005 season in which he was named to the league's All-Ironman squad, honoring the best two-way players in the AFL.
Hammond (6-3, 220) is one of only two players in AFL history to have notched 8,000 receiving yards and 30 interceptions. His 8,459 receiving yards are ninth-most in arena football history and his 780 receptions make him fourth on the career-best list. The former Virginia Cavalier ranks third, all-time, in the AFL with 631.5 tackles.
The 2005 season marked his 15th in the AFL, but he had one of the most productive years of any player in the league, being named to the All-Ironman squad after catching 66 passes for 632 yards and eight TD's. He also ran the ball seven times for 10 yards and a TD. Defensively, Hammond had 42.5 tackles, including one for a loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
"Darryl is an unbelievable guy and a tremendous asset to this football team, both on and off the field," said Sperduto. "There is a reason he has played longer than anyone else in this league. He plays the game the way it should be played and he takes great care of himself. He is a guy that gets it done on the field and is a great leader to everyone in the locker room."
Hammond began his career with the Albany Firebirds in 1991, and he has also played with the St. Louis Stampede, Georgia Force and Austin Wranglers, in addition to his two stints with the Nashville Kats. He and lineman James Baron are the only two players to have played with the Kats franchise in all six seasons of its existence. He has been named to the All-Ironman squad four times in the seven years the team has been in existence. In addition to his selection last year, he was previously named in 2003 as a member of the Georgia Force, and in 2000 and 2001 with the original Kats franchise. Hammond was honored as first-team All-Arena in 1995 and 1996, when he played with the St. Louis Stampede, and in 1999 while with the Kats.
The 38-year old has spent the past two offseasons filming football movies. Last year, he was in the remake of "The Longest Yard," with Adam Sandler. This summer, he played former Philadelphia Eagles receiver Wilbert Montgomery in the filming of "Invincible," with Mark Wahlberg, which is slated to be released next year.
In addition to re-signing Hammond, Sperduto also announced the signing of veteran defensive specialist Chris Angel, who played in all 16 games with the Eastern Division champion New York Dragons last season. Angel (6-0, 205) led the Dragons with 102.5 tackles in 2005. He picked off two passes and broke up 15. He had 32.5 stops in his rookie year with the Columbus Destroyers in 2004. Angel joins a competition at defensive specialist that features All-Arena performer Kahlil Carter and former All-Rookie star Monty Montgomery, as well as rookies Bill Alford and Eric Joyce.
The Kats also announced that recently-acquired rookie receivers O.J. Small (6-1, 223) and Kelvin Kight (6-0, 219), both from the University of Florida, were placed on the team's exempt list. Small was signed by the
Tennessee Titans, while Kight was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings.
The transactions take the team's active roster to 34 players. Each AFL squad can have as many as 37 players on their offseason roster, and must trim that to 24 by the first week of the regular season. The Kats kick off the 2006 campaign on Sat., Jan. 28 at New York, then hold their home opener the next week on Fri., Feb. 3.
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