When he played at Jeannette, Robert Kennedy was a plow-ahead quarterback with shiftiness and power. He also had a nose for the football as a ball-hawking defensive back.

Kennedy specialized in defense at the next level, playing in the secondary at four colleges before landing in the Canadian Football League, where he has found a home with the Montreal Alouettes, who just opened their season with a win sparked by his play.

With one of the biggest splash plays of Week 1 — a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown — Kennedy drew league-wide praise and was named a CFL player of the week.

Kennedy, 26, added a forced fumble in a 30-27 win over Hamilton in overtime. Montreal rallied from 24-10 down to earn the victory.

Before the season started, Kennedy signed a contract extension through 2027.

He overcame a thigh injury to earn a key role this season.

“He’s an extremely good person and he works hard both on and off the field,” Alouettes coach Jason Maas told TVA Sports. “He has a good connection with our group and he was able to get a starting job, even after having to go through a rehab. It shows how much he is appreciated by our organization.”

Said Kennedy: “It’s a good feeling to be able to make plays like this as a professional. I now feel like a veteran; I’m not a rookie anymore.”

Last season, Kennedy had 30 tackles in eight games. He signed with Montreal in January 2025.

He came to the CFL after after he was released by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, initially signing with Hamilton.

Kennedy played collegiately at Lackawanna, East Carolina, Old Dominion and N.C. State.