Former Virginia Player Approaching End Of AFL Career

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May 11, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Former University of Virginia football player Darryl Hammond, a 16-year veteran of the Arena Football League (AFL), is expected to be in uniform for his final regular season game with the Nashville Kats on Saturday (May 13). The Kats host the Tampa Bay Storm.

The 39-year-old Hammond announced before the start of the 2006 season that it would be his final season in the AFL. He has played with five different teams and his 16 years in the league is the longest tenure in AFL history.

A wide receiver and linebacker with the Kats, Hammond became the fourth player in league history to catch at least 800 passes earlier this season. He had a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown against Columbus in the second game of the 2006 season, marking the seventh time in his career he returned an interception for a touchdown. Hammond has 10 receptions for 104 yards in seven games in 2006. Defensively, he’s been in on 29 tackles with one interception and one quarterback sack.

Hammond has been on injured reserve since the 11th week of the season.

In 2005, Hammond became just the second player in league history to have 8,000 receiving yards and 30 interceptions in a career. He also became just the third player in the history of the league to surpass 600 career tackles. Hammond was named to the league’s All-Ironman team in 2005. He had 66 receptions for 632 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games for Nashville last season. He was also in on 42.5 tackles.

Hammond lettered as a wide receiver in 1986 and a defensive back in 1987 for UVa after transferring to Virginia from Ferrum College. He had seven receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown in 1986. In 1987 he was in on 61 tackles, including six for lost yardage, and broke up five passes. He earned honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 1987.

From Tappahannock, Va., Hammond earned All-State honors in football and basketball at Essex High School.