96 Days to Miami football: Cortez Kennedy Hurricanes legend

Cortez Kennedy was a Miami football legend during his two seasons in Coral Gables wearing number 96. Kennedy won a national championship with the Hurricanes in 1989 as a consensus All-American.

Picking the best number 96 in Miami football history will be one of the toughest of any number. Cortez Kennedy was a 1989 consensus All-American and National Champion. Two-time All-American and 1987 National Champion Daniel Stubbs proceeded Kennedy wearing number 96.

Either Stubbs or Kennedy would be a worthy choice. Kennedy is a Miami legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer. The legacy Kennedy left with the Miami football program is bigger than Stubbs. Stubbs 39.5 career sacks and 17 in the 1987 season continue to stand as the all-time Miami football records.

Kennedy played two seasons with the Miami football program after transferring from  North Mississippi Junior College. Led by a nearly impenetrable defensive line with Kennedy, Russell Maryland and Greg Mark, the Miami defense led the country in points allowed in 1989 at just 10.6 per game.

In the two seasons with Kennedy anchoring the middle of the Miami defensive line, the Hurricanes went 22-2 and were a phantom fumble call away at Notre Dame from another national championship. Kennedy, Mark and Maryland were all named consensus All-Americans following the 1989 season.

Miami finished the 1989 season 11-1, with their only loss coming to Florida State with starting quarterback Craig Erickson out with a thumb injury. The Hurricanes 33-25 victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl clinched the Hurricanes’ third National Championship in seven seasons.

Kennedy and the Miami defense held Alabama to 299 yards in the game. Only one touchdown and a two-point conversion in the second half that came with 2:53 remaining. Miami recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. Kennedy walked off the field in his last game as a Miami Hurricane as a National Champion.

Following the season, Kennedy was the third overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Kennedy played 11 seasons in Seattle recording 669 tackles and 58 sacks. With 92 tackles and 14 sacks in 1992, Kennedy was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year despite Seattle finishing 2-14.

Kennedy finished his career with eight Pro Bowl selections and was named All-Pro three times. was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He tragically passed away in 2017 from heart failure. Kennedy wore number 99 for most of his Miami career to honor his good friend and fellow Miami alum, Jerome Brown.