The Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award is reserved for former Alabama Crimson Tide student-athletes who have gone on to achieve success after graduation. One of this year’s winners was …
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The Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award is reserved for former Alabama Crimson Tide student-athletes who have gone on to achieve success after graduation. One of this year’s winners was announced as Daphne head football coach Kenny King.
The Trojan head coach will be recognized at halftime of Alabama’s season-opening contest against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders this Saturday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m. with a broadcast on the SEC Network.
Entering his eighth year at the helm of the Daphne program, King was a four-year starter on the football field at Alabama. The Arizona Cardinals then selected King with the 141st overall pick in the 5th round of the 2003 NFL Draft where he collected 18 total tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
But the 6-foot-3, 285-pound defensive lineman’s biggest impact has come off the field in recent years as a Thursday press release cites.
“Under his charitable organization, Kenny King Charities, he has been able to reach and transform an abundance of lives with his Scholarship Program, Christmas Shop-A-Thons, Tackling Reading Initiative, and the KKC Mentorship Project,” Daphne’s news release reads. “Additionally, he works closely with the NFL Players Foundation on social justice and eliminating the digital divide within his communities. He is also a sponsor of NFL Play 60 and is committed to the support of the health, safety, and wellness of youth athletes.”
On the home front, King has also provided opportunities to help student-athletes at his alma mater where he currently works.
“Here in Daphne, Coach King has been extremely active in supporting our Trojan student-athletes by creating a free Daphne High Athletic ACT Prep Program, Character Building Seminar Series, Summer Youth Sports Camp, Daphne Trojans Community Service Initiative, Tackling Nutrition Project and the Trojan Football Internship Program,” it says.
King reflected on his time both with the Daphne Trojans and Alabama Crimson Tide and shared his appreciation to those who helped him reach this point.
“I am humbled and honored to receive this award and to be in the great company of all the esteemed Paul W. Bryant Alumni Athlete Award recipients. I came to Alabama to play football and earn a degree. I achieved my goals and my time at the Capstone were some of the best times of my life and propelled me to greatness,” King said. “It has allowed me the wonderful blessing and opportunity to give back to my communities and to our future generations. I will forever be grateful to the University of Alabama, my family, and everyone I have encountered during my time working to pay it forward. I am sincerely appreciative of this honor.”