NFL CAREER – Originally signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in 2018. Kirkwood spent his first two seasons with New Orleans and then played for the Carolina Panthers from 2020-21. This tall target returned to the Saints in 2022 and appeared in five games with one start and recorded two receptions for 18 yards. The New Jersey native has appeared in 18 career regular season games with two starts and has posted 19 catches for 257 yards with two touchdowns.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed by New Orleans Saints to a one-year contract extension, 2/17/23; Signed to Saints active roster, 1/4/23; Standard practice squad elevation by Saints, 12/31/22; Standard practice squad elevation by Saints, 12/23/22; Signed to Saints practice squad, 10/31/22; Waived by Saints, 10/29/22; Re-signed by Saints, 10/25/22; Waived by Saints, 10/20/22; Standard practice squad elevation by Saints, 10/15/22; Standard practice squad elevation by Saints, 10/8/22; Signed to Saints practice squad, 9/28/22; Waived by Carolina Panthers, 8/30/22; Re-signed by Panthers, 6/6/22; COVID-19 practice squad elevation by Panthers, 1/8/22; Standard practice squad elevation by Panthers, 10/30/21; Standard practice squad elevation by Panthers, 10/23/21; Signed to Panthers practice squad, 9/1/21; Waived by Panthers, 8/31/21; Placed on Injured Reserve by Panthers, 10/20/20; Activated from Injured Reserve by Panthers, 10/17/20; Placed on Injured Reserve by Panthers, 9/2/20; Signed by Panthers, 3/19/20; Placed by Saints on Injured Reserve, 9/17/19; Signed to the Saints active roster, 11/10/18; Signed to Saints practice squad, 9/2/18; Waived by Saints, 9/1/18; Signed as an undrafted free agent by New Orleans, 5/7/18
2022 – Appeared in five games with one start for Saints, finishing with two receptions for 18 yards…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 9, made his 2022 Saints debut, starting and had a four-yard reception…Vs. Cincinnati, Oct. 16, posted a 14-yard catch. 2021 – Appeared in three games for Carolina and posted three receptions for 17 yards at New York Giants, Oct. 24, tying a career-high for grabs. 2020 – In his only appearance for the Panthers in a season hampered by a clavicle injury, recorded one 13-yard reception vs. Chicago, Oct. 18. 2019 – Played in opener vs. Houston, Sept. 9, before suffering hamstring injury in warmups at Los Angeles Rams, Sept. 15. 2018 – Played in eight games with one start and posted 13 grabs for 209 yards and two touchdowns…At Cincinnati, Nov. 11, made his NFL debut and caught two passes for a career-high 45 yards and recorded one coverage tackle…Vs. Philadelphia, Nov. 18, caught a career-high three passes for 33 yards…Vs. Atlanta, Nov. 22, recorded first career TD on five-yard pass…At Dallas, Nov. 29, made first career start and recorded a 30-yard TD grab…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 9, tallied two receptions for 21 yards…At Carolina, Dec. 17, hauled in two passes for 40 yards, including a crucial third-and-14 conversion with 7:21 left…Vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 23, played on offense, catching two passes for 35 yards...In NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Philadelphia, 1/13/19, made postseason debut starting, tallying two catches for eight yards, including a two-yard touchdown reception to convert on fourth-and-goal.
COLLEGE – Played in 44 games with 30 starts at Temple and finished with 103 receptions for 1,638 yards (15.9 avg.) and 16 touchdowns…In 2017, played in 13 games with 12 starts and recorded 45 receptions for 671 yards and seven TDs, as he was a Jason Witten College Man of the Year semifinalist…In 2016, played in 14 games posting 42 receptions for 648 yards and four TDs…After transferring to Temple, played in only one game in 2015 due to injury…Played in eight games for Hawaii in 2014, making five starts after redshirting as a freshman…Earned criminal justice degree.
PERSONAL – 2013 graduate of Neptune (N.J.) HS…Played just one year of organized football as senior…Selected to All Shore Media's All-Shore second-team All-Class B North and All-Monmouth County second-team as he made 33 catches for 737 yards and seven TDs…2013 McDonald's All-America Boys High School Basketball Team nominee and received several Division I scholarship offers…Participated in visits at local high schools to promote safe driving…Joined St. Michael's Special School students and coached them through drills at a camp sponsored by United Healthcare at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in 2019…Keith Elliott Kirkwood was born Dec. 26, 1994 in Long Branch, N.J.
