Patrick Kerney Patrick Manning Kerney ( ; born December 30 , 1976 ) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League ( NFL ) for eleven seasons . He played college football for the University of Virginia . He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft . Early years . A native of Yardley , Pennsylvania , Kerney enrolled in the Taft School ( CT ) his sophomore , junior and senior years after attending Princeton Day School . At Taft , Kerney was a starter in football and a two - year letterman in wrestling . Initially viewed by his coach to be too scrawny to play football , Kerney eventually became team captain and was selected Most Valuable Player while recording three sacks , one blocked punt , one interception and 84 tackles in just eight games as a junior . He had seven sacks as a sophomore defensive end . In wrestling , he placed second at the All - New England tournament as a senior . Princeton Day School named their new fitness center in honor of Kerney . The center has his signed uniform and features his number on the floor . The " Patrick Kerney ' 94 Fitness Center " opened in 2007 . College career . Kerney amassed 127 tackles and 24 sacks in his three - year career at the University of Virginia . His 24 career sacks ranks third in Virginia history . As a junior in 1997 , he made 45 tackles and registered eight sacks . In his senior year in 1998 , he recorded 62 tackles and 15 sacks and helped lead the 1998 Cavaliers to a 9 - 3 overall record , a trip to the Peach Bowl , and a final ranking of 18th in both the Associated Press and USA Today / CNN polls . The 15 sacks led the Atlantic Coast Conference , ranked second in the nation , and tied the Virginia record set by Chris Slade in 1992 . " Football News " and the Football Writers Association named him a first - team All - American at defensive end . He also earned first - team All - ACC honors . The Associated Press and " The Sporting News " selected him as a second - team All - American . Kerney finished second in balloting for the 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year by one vote to fellow Cavalier All - American Anthony Poindexter . He was also one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award , given annually by the Football Writers Association to the nation ' s best defensive player . He finished second in the ACC and 10th nationally with 21 tackles for loss . Kerney was originally recruited to play lacrosse and he was a defenseman on the Virginia lacrosse team in 1996 and 1997 . He was a member of the 1996 Cavalier squad that advanced to the NCAA championship game and lost to Princeton 13 - 12 in overtime . Kerney was also a member of the 1997 team that made it to the NCAA playoffs and lost to Maryland in the quarterfinals 10 - 9 . He did not participate in 1996 spring football practice in order to compete on the lacrosse team . On November 13 , 2010 , Kerney had his # 58 jersey retired by the University of Virginia . Professional career . Atlanta Falcons . Kerney was drafted as the thirtieth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons , wearing the number 97 jersey . The Falcons signed Kerney to a 5 - year $ 5 . 6 million contract . As a rookie , Kerney started two games ( one at left defensive end and one a left defensive tackle ) and recorded 25 tackles and 2 . 5 sacks . In 2000 , Kerney was the starting left defensive end and again recorded 2 . 5 sacks . In 2001 , Kerney recorded 12 sacks . Early in the 2002 season , the Falcons agreed to a seven - year contract extension with Kerney . The deal , which could be voided after five seasons , included a team - record $ 8 . 5 million signing bonus . It could have been worth up to $ 40 million if all incentives were met . He finished the 2002 season with 10 . 5 sacks while playing left defensive end in a 3 - 4 defense . He remained at that position in 2003 and recorded 6 . 5 sacks . In 2004 the Falcons returned to a 4 - 3 defense and Kerney responded with his best season up until that time , playing the Pro Bowl for the first time and recording career - highs in tackles ( 66 ) , sacks ( 13 ) and passes defensed ( 9 ) . He was also voted second - team All - Pro by the Associated Press . In 2006 Kerney moved to right defensive end as a starter and moved to left defensive end in passing situations ( newly acquired free agent John Abraham played right defensive end in those situations ) . In Week 9 Kerney ' s 105 - game starting streak came to an end with a torn right pectoral muscle that required surgery . ( Kerney was injured while tackling Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden . ) The seven games he missed were the only games he has missed in his career . In Kerney ' s absence , Abraham was the starter at right defensive end . Seattle Seahawks . On February 23 , 2007 , Kerney opted out the last two years of his contract with the Atlanta Falcons to become an unrestricted free agent . On March 5 , 2007 , he signed a six - year , $ 39 . 5 million contract with the Seahawks that included $ 19 . 5 million in guaranteed money . With the Seahawks in 2007 he was voted as a starter in the Pro Bowl and led the NFC in sacks with 14 . 5 ( which set a new career - high for Kerney ) . Kerney also had a career - high 5 forced fumbles and recorded 62 tackles . He missed the Pro Bowl due to shoulder surgery . On April 13 , 2010 , Kerney announced his retirement . Personal life . Patrick is one of six children . He has four sisters and had a brother who died when Patrick was a child . When he first entered the NFL , he set up a foundation in name of his brother called the Lt . Thomas L . Kerney Endowment Fund . The fund provides college scholarships and financial assistance to children of fallen police officers . Kerney donates $ 1000 per sack he records to the foundation . He is married to former KING 5 Sports reporter Lisa Gangel and has been accepted to Columbia Business School ' s MBA program beginning in the fall of 2010 .