Pentagon Provides Cameron Kinley Delay Service for NFL


In a face-to-face, the Department of Defense approved corner player Cameron Kinley’s request to delay his Navy commission so he could play in the NFL, concluding a weeks-long saga in which Kinley was initially denied a chance to pursue a professional football career.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced that Kinley will be enlisted in the Inactive Ready Reserve and is expected to serve in the Navy after his term in the NFL ends.

“We know that Cameron will use every opportunity on and off the field to skillfully represent the Navy and military to the American people and assist us in our recruitment efforts,” Austin said in a statement. Said. “I applaud the Navy leadership for finding this way to showcase both Cameron’s athletic prowess and the quality and professionalism of our student athletes and staff.”

Kinley, a team captain and class president at the U.S. Naval Academy, has applied to reschedule his five-year service commitment after graduating this spring. He signed as an impromptu free agent with the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and joined the rookie minicamp in May.

However, Thomas W. Harker, acting Navy secretary, declined the request in June without explanation. The situation gained national attention, and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio wrote a letter to President Biden urging him to intervene.

Kinley has repeatedly said that he plans to complete his commitment and his representatives at Divine Sports and Entertainment sometime soon. Declarationdrew attention to the last allowances made for football players from other service branch schools. The Army allowed Jon Rhattigan to defer his service and join the Seattle Seahawks, as did Nolan Laufenberg, who joined the Air Force’s Denver Broncos, and George Silvanic, who joined the Los Angeles Rams.

“A kind of Catch-22. I know you want to try to be a professional football player, but frankly it means a lot to the Navy,” said Buccaneers Coach Bruce Arians at the mandatory minicamp in June. “So I’ll leave that up to them. I would love to have it because I thought it was showing promising signs while I was here.”

Lieutenant Commander. Navy spokeswoman Patricia Kreuzberger said Kinley has filed a petition with the Marine Records Correction Board recommending the termination of the service commission. Kreuzberger said Harker endorsed the recommendation and forwarded it to Austin.

Kinley thanked Rubio in a statement Tuesday; DeMaurice Smith, president of the NFL Players Association; and agents for lobbying activities. Kinley, who has recorded 88 team fights in the Navy, will now attempt to enter the Buccaneers’ active roster when training camp begins this month.

“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned through this whole process is to trust his timing and trust the fact that God will always prevail,” Kinley said.

The official policy for graduates of service academies pursuing careers as professional athletes has changed repeatedly over the past few years, with athletes having to reimburse the costs of attending their academies if they play professionally immediately without qualifying for a waiver. During the Obama administration, graduates can immediately resume their athletic careers if granted reserve status. But President Donald J. Trump rescinded this policy in 2017, only subordinating the Department of Defense. revive in 2019 After hosting the Army football team at the White House. Biden said on Tuesday he supported the Pentagon’s decision.

“I am confident that Cameron will represent the Navy well in the NFL, as he did as an outstanding athlete and class president at the Naval Academy. After his NFL career is over, he will continue to make us proud as an officer in the United States Navy.”





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