Position | Outside Linebacker / Defensive End
Born | Muncie, Indiana
Date-of-Birth | August 16, 1988
Height | 6’4″
Weight | 265 lbs
College | Purdue
NFL Career | 11 seasons
Teams | Washington Redskins/Football Team 2011-2020, Philadelphia Eagles 2021
Career Highlights
- First-round pick (16th overall) of the Washington Redskins in the 2011 NFL Draft
- Washington’s all-time leader in sacks (95.5)
- Scored a touchdown on an interception return in his very first career game
- One of only three players in NFL history with 60-plus sacks and three-plus interception return touchdowns, alongside Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers
- Played 139 consecutive games from 2011 through 2019
- Washington 90 Greatest
- Retired with a ceremonial one-day contract with Washington in 2022
Awards
- 4x Pro Bowl (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- NFL forced fumbles co-leader (2014)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2011)
Ryan Kerrigan Built a Decade of Dominance, Then Came Home to Coach It
Patrick Ryan Kerrigan, born August 16, 1988, in Muncie, Indiana, spent ten years as the most consistent pass rusher in Washington franchise history. He capped it off with a single, painful season somewhere else, then came back to Washington in a role nobody saw coming.
Early Life and College Career
Kerrigan starred at Muncie Central High School, where he led the state with 19 sacks as a senior and earned Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. At Purdue (2007–2010), he played defensive end and became one of the program’s most productive pass rushers. Career college totals included 210 tackles, 57 tackles for loss, 33.5 sacks (second in Purdue history), and 14 forced fumbles (tied for an NCAA record at the time).
His senior year (2010) was dominant: a nation-leading 26 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He earned unanimous All-American honors, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and the Bill Willis Trophy. Kerrigan was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and later entered the Indiana Football Hall of Fame and Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame. He has also appeared on College Football Hall of Fame ballots.
NFL Draft and Washington Years (2011–2020)
The Washington Redskins selected Kerrigan 16th overall in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year rookie deal and immediately transitioned from 4-3 defensive end to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
Kerrigan started every game as a rookie and recorded 7.5 sacks. And what a start! The rookie scored on an interception return of Eli Manning for the game-winning touchdown in his NFL debut. He made the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Kerrigan was the cornerstone of the defense for a decade. Key highlights include:
- Durability: He started the first 139 consecutive games of his career (an NFL record for left outside linebackers) before an injury in December 2019. He played every defensive snap in some early seasons and was among the league’s most reliable edge players.
- Production peaks: Career-high 13.5 sacks in 2014 (plus a league co-leading five forced fumbles). He also posted 13.0 sacks in both 2017 and 2018, and 11.0 in 2016. He had four seasons with 10+ sacks and at least 5.5 sacks in every one of his 10 Washington seasons.
- Pro Bowls: Selected four times (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018).
- Franchise records: Official all-time leader with 95.5 sacks and 26 forced fumbles for Washington. He returned all three of his career interceptions for touchdowns.
- Other notes: 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for the team; signed a major multi-year extension in 2015.
HBK
Kerrigan’s sack celebration became as recognizable as the sacks themselves. Egged on by teammate Will Compton, he started busting out Shawn Michaels’ old WWE “Heartbreak Kid” pose after big plays, most memorably during a four-sack outing against Jacksonville in 2014.
The nickname stuck so thoroughly that Washington media were still calling him The Heartbreak Kid in headlines the day he left for Philadelphia.
Final Season and Retirement (2021–2022)
After 10 seasons in Washington, Kerrigan signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He appeared in 16 games – mostly in a rotational/depth role – recorded three tackles, and had his first sack-less season.
He retired in July 2022 after signing a ceremonial one-day contract to finish his career with Washington. The moment was clearly emotional.
“That’s just about as cool as it gets,” he said, reflecting on pulling into the stadium as a player one final time.
Head coach Ron Rivera didn’t hold back his praise either. “You only get so many of those guys,” he said.
Career NFL totals for Kerrigan include, 172 games, 143 starts; 457 tackles (333 solo), 95.5 sacks, 26 forced fumbles, 4 recoveries, 25 pass deflections, 3 interceptions (all returned for touchdowns), and 3 defensive TDs. He is one of only a handful of players with 60+ sacks and 3+ interception-return touchdowns.
Coaching Career
Kerrigan transitioned quickly into coaching with the Commanders. He began as a coaching intern/training camp presence in 2022. He then became assistant defensive line coach in 2022–2023 under Ron Rivera. Under Dan Quinn he was retained and promoted to assistant linebackers coach/pass rush specialist in 2024 and 2025.
He was not retained after the 2025 season amid staff changes.
Off the Field and Legacy
Kerrigan founded the Blitz for the Better Foundation in 2013 to support children and families in need in the Washington area. He is married to Jessica and has three daughters (Lincoln, Hayes, and Carter). His father, Brendan, played college football at Ball State.
He is remembered as a high-motor, extremely high-character, ultra-reliable pass rusher who delivered consistent production without the flash of some contemporaries. He ranks among the Washington franchise’s all-time greats (included on the team’s 90 Greatest list) and remains a respected figure in the organization and among Purdue alumni.
His combination of college dominance, NFL longevity and production, and his immediate move into coaching, makes for a very complete and highly successful football career.
Career Statistics
| Team | Year | G | GS | Comb | Int | FR | Sk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 2011 | 16 | 16 | 64 | 1 | 0 | 7.5 |
| Washington | 2012 | 16 | 16 | 54 | 1 | 1 | 8.5 |
| Washington | 2013 | 16 | 16 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 8.5 |
| Washington | 2014 | 16 | 16 | 64 | 0 | 1 | 13.5 |
| Washington | 2015 | 16 | 16 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 |
| Washington | 2016 | 16 | 16 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 11.0 |
| Washington | 2017 | 16 | 16 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 13.0 |
| Washington | 2018 | 16 | 16 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 13.0 |
| Washington | 2019 | 12 | 12 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 5.5 |
| Washington | 2020 | 16 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 |
| Philadelphia | 2021 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Career Total | 11 seasons | 172 | 143 | 457 | 3 | 4 | 95.5 |
G = Games played, GS = Games started, Comb = Combined tackles (solo + assisted), Int = Interceptions, FR = Fumble recoveries, Sk = Sacks. Kerrigan’s entire career falls after 1994, so tackle data is fully included. Bolded season led the NFL in sacks. Kerrigan also scored 3 defensive touchdowns on interception returns. Stats via Pro Football Reference.