Kenyon Coleman

Kenyon Octavia Coleman (born April 10, 1979) is an American football defensive end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was selected in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft out of the University of California, Los Angeles by the Oakland Raiders. On March 6, 2007, the Jets signed Coleman to a contract, reportedly worth $20M over five years.

Early years
Coleman was born in Fontana, California to Johnny and Patsy Coleman. He attended Alta Loma High School in Alta Loma, California, where he played football as an offensive and defensive lineman, while helping his teams win two CIF championships. He earned All-State honors as a sophomore, but his junior season was cut short after fracturing his left leg. As a senior he was named to the PrepStar All-American team. He also played three years of varsity basketball.

College career
Coleman attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he majored in philosophy. During his college career, he had 138 tackles and 16.5 sacks. He earned All-PAC-10 honorable mention as a true sophomore and second-team All-PAC-10 as a junior. In 2000 as a senior he suffered torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee, playing against Michigan University in the third game of the season. Coleman was granted a medical redshirt, coming back in 2001 to earn an All-PAC-10 selection as a fifth year senior.

Oakland Raiders
Coleman was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft and made his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills in week 5. At the start of his second season, the emergence of other young defensive ends made him expendable in the eyes of Raiders management.

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)
On August 31, 2003, the Dallas Cowboys acquired him via a trade with the Oakland Raiders for a 7th round draft choice in the 2004 NFL draft. He spent four seasons with the Cowboys as a reserve defensive end, making 68 tackles and 6.5 sacks. His first two years he played in a 4–3 defense, before the Cowboys switched to a 3–4 defense in 2005.

New York Jets
On March 6, 2007 he was signed by the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent, becoming a starter and leading all NFL defensive ends in tackles with 83. On April 25, 2009, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns as part of a trade to acquire the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, in order to select Mark Sanchez.

Cleveland Browns
In Cleveland he was reunited with former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini and played as the Browns left defensive end starter. On February 9, 2011, the Browns released Coleman.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)
On July 30, 2011, after losing Stephen Bowen in free agency and hiring his former Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the Cowboys signed him as a free agent to a 2 year contract worth $3.75 million. During his second stint with the Cowboys, he was named the starter at left defensive end, and his physical size and strength was used to improve the team's run defense. In 2011 he started 15-of-16 games and recorded 44 tackles. In 2012 his season ended early with a torn triceps in his left arm (suffered against the Philadelphia Eagles) that required season-ending surgery, he finished with 5-of-7 starts (missed two games with a knee injury) and 22 tackles.

Personal life
Coleman and his wife, Katie, have three children a daughter and two sons. Kaleigh, Kaleb, and Kason.