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Long Snapper Hennessy Enjoying Tenure with Jets
9/11/2019 11:00:00 AM | Football
In the 2016 NFL Draft, no team selected Duke long snapper Thomas Hennessy. Not a worry for Hennessy, though, as a specialized position like his would have a roster spot come open and the door of opportunity swing wide if he could walk through it.
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Hennessy soon had his chance to impress, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts.
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After a rookie preseason with the Colts, he was traded to New York, a seemingly beneficial move for the Empire State native. It was almost a dream come true for Hennessy — he'd just be donning the green and white colors of the Jets instead of the other New York team that inhabits the MetLife Stadium.
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"It's been a great two years with the Jets," Hennessy said as 2019 training camp got underway. "I actually grew up a Giants fan, but it's about 30 minutes from where I grew up to the stadium. It's been a lot of fun to have family and friends be able to come to games. I can't believe I'm entering my third season; it feels like just yesterday was rookie training camp."
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From family members to his time as a high schooler to established relationships as he moved to Durham, a good support system has been a constant area of strength in Hennessey's life — a system that has most recently been strengthened by his marriage to former Duke volleyball player Christina Vucich over the summer.
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"The coolest thing is that we know a lot of the same people we went to school with," Hennessy mentioned. "I'm so lucky to have met her in college."
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It's not lost on him the incredible support that former teammates and friends have showed him in both his athletic and personal ambitions.
Â
"It was great to celebrate the best weekend and best day of our lives with the people that surrounded us," Hennessy added. "I had a lot of teammates come back as well as two football coaches. It was great to come back to Duke and bring everyone back. It was nice to both celebrate us as well as catch up with everyone."
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As Hennessy heads into his third season in the NFL, that familiarity off the field has bled into his time on the field, with the Jets acquiring free agent wide receiver Jamison Crowder. Former teammates at Duke, Hennessy said Crowder sought him out on his first day there.
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"Jamison is awesome, he had a great career at Duke," Hennessy said. "He works super hard and is super talented. He is about five or six lockers over from me so, it's fun to have him around."
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Another former teammate joins the New York frenzy as Daniel Jones became a New York Giant with the No. 6 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Despite the local rivalry, Hennessy welcomes his former teammate with open arms into the Big Apple.
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"It's great to have him close," Hennessy said. "I actually caught up with him at my wedding in North Carolina. It's been nice to catch up with him about his experiences so far. It's awesome to see him drafted that highly and to be in New York. He'll do great here."
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Looking back on his college years, Hennessy understands the importance that being part of the Duke family had on his career. He remembers fondly what it meant to play for head coach David Cutcliffe and what he instilled when developing players wearing the Duke blue.
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"I definitely have pride being part of the Duke football program, especially with Coach Cut," Hennessy said. "It means winning, but winning with integrity. You don't win at all costs, you do the right things on and off the field. It comes from the top and Coach has set the culture."
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That culture was felt throughout the locker room and has been a big reason behind the revitalization of the Duke football program. The mentality set by the coaching staff was reflected in Hennessy's most cherished memories during his time as a Blue Devil.
Â
"The team success was definitely my favorite part," he said. "At the time our program was picking up a lot of steam with winning and going to bowl games. Winning the division my freshman year and going to the ACC championship game was my favorite moment."
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The Blue Devils would lose to eventual national champion Florida State that year, but the memories and big wins continued. Wins over No. 20 Georgia Tech, an epic four-overtime win at Virginia Tech and an important two-point victory over rival North Carolina are just a few big wins reminisced upon.
Â
"One of my favorite moments on an individual level was playing and winning in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl," Hennessy mentioned when thinking back on the overtime thriller. "It was awesome playing in Yankee Stadium since I grew up a fan of them. It was just fun to be able to contribute over my four years."
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Duke's win over Indiana in the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl marked the program's first bowl victory since 1961, a span covering 54 years. Hennessy and his teammates established a revamped mindset that helped Duke to three wins in their last three postseason games.
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Despite the Duke brotherhood, Hennessy was handed a rare scenario that saw him cheering for an opponent. His younger brother Matt lined up on the offensive line for Temple against Duke in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl last December.
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The Blue Devils won their third-straight bowl game at the expense of the Hennessy family, turning in a strong second half to top the Owls, 56-27, in Shreveport, La.
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"I definitely was pulling for my brother that day, but Duke winning was almost a win-win scenario," Hennessy said. "It was a lot of fun to watch."
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Duke family members were on opposing sidelines for Hennessy's first preseason game of 2019, as he and Crowder took on former teammate Jones in his Giants debut under the lights of MetLife Stadium.
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Blue Devils currently in the NFL
Name              Pos.  Team               Â
Breon Borders, Â Â Â Â Â CB, Â Â Â Â Jacksonville Jaguars
Ross Cockrell, Â Â Â Â Â CB, Â Â Â Â Carolina PanthersÂ
Jamison Crowder, Â Â Â WR, Â Â Â Â New York Jets
Joe Giles-Harris, Â Â LB, Â Â Â Â Jacksonville Jaguars
Daniel Helm, Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TE, Â Â Â Â San Francisco 49ers*
Thomas Hennessy, Â Â Â LS, Â Â Â Â New York Jets
Daniel Jones,       QB,     New York Giants
Lucas Patrick, Â Â Â OG, Â Â Â Â Green Bay Packers
Matt Skura, Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â C, Â Â Â Baltimore Ravens
Laken Tomlinson, Â Â Â OG, Â Â Â Â San Francisco 49ers
Shaun Wilson, Â Â Â Â Â Â RB, Â Â Â Â Washington Redskins
*practice squad
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Hennessy soon had his chance to impress, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts.
Â
After a rookie preseason with the Colts, he was traded to New York, a seemingly beneficial move for the Empire State native. It was almost a dream come true for Hennessy — he'd just be donning the green and white colors of the Jets instead of the other New York team that inhabits the MetLife Stadium.
Â
"It's been a great two years with the Jets," Hennessy said as 2019 training camp got underway. "I actually grew up a Giants fan, but it's about 30 minutes from where I grew up to the stadium. It's been a lot of fun to have family and friends be able to come to games. I can't believe I'm entering my third season; it feels like just yesterday was rookie training camp."
Â
From family members to his time as a high schooler to established relationships as he moved to Durham, a good support system has been a constant area of strength in Hennessey's life — a system that has most recently been strengthened by his marriage to former Duke volleyball player Christina Vucich over the summer.
Â
"The coolest thing is that we know a lot of the same people we went to school with," Hennessy mentioned. "I'm so lucky to have met her in college."
Â
It's not lost on him the incredible support that former teammates and friends have showed him in both his athletic and personal ambitions.
Â
"It was great to celebrate the best weekend and best day of our lives with the people that surrounded us," Hennessy added. "I had a lot of teammates come back as well as two football coaches. It was great to come back to Duke and bring everyone back. It was nice to both celebrate us as well as catch up with everyone."
Â
As Hennessy heads into his third season in the NFL, that familiarity off the field has bled into his time on the field, with the Jets acquiring free agent wide receiver Jamison Crowder. Former teammates at Duke, Hennessy said Crowder sought him out on his first day there.
Â
"Jamison is awesome, he had a great career at Duke," Hennessy said. "He works super hard and is super talented. He is about five or six lockers over from me so, it's fun to have him around."
Â
Another former teammate joins the New York frenzy as Daniel Jones became a New York Giant with the No. 6 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Despite the local rivalry, Hennessy welcomes his former teammate with open arms into the Big Apple.
Â
"It's great to have him close," Hennessy said. "I actually caught up with him at my wedding in North Carolina. It's been nice to catch up with him about his experiences so far. It's awesome to see him drafted that highly and to be in New York. He'll do great here."
Â
Looking back on his college years, Hennessy understands the importance that being part of the Duke family had on his career. He remembers fondly what it meant to play for head coach David Cutcliffe and what he instilled when developing players wearing the Duke blue.
Â
"I definitely have pride being part of the Duke football program, especially with Coach Cut," Hennessy said. "It means winning, but winning with integrity. You don't win at all costs, you do the right things on and off the field. It comes from the top and Coach has set the culture."
Â
That culture was felt throughout the locker room and has been a big reason behind the revitalization of the Duke football program. The mentality set by the coaching staff was reflected in Hennessy's most cherished memories during his time as a Blue Devil.
Â
"The team success was definitely my favorite part," he said. "At the time our program was picking up a lot of steam with winning and going to bowl games. Winning the division my freshman year and going to the ACC championship game was my favorite moment."
Â
The Blue Devils would lose to eventual national champion Florida State that year, but the memories and big wins continued. Wins over No. 20 Georgia Tech, an epic four-overtime win at Virginia Tech and an important two-point victory over rival North Carolina are just a few big wins reminisced upon.
Â
"One of my favorite moments on an individual level was playing and winning in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl," Hennessy mentioned when thinking back on the overtime thriller. "It was awesome playing in Yankee Stadium since I grew up a fan of them. It was just fun to be able to contribute over my four years."
Â
Duke's win over Indiana in the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl marked the program's first bowl victory since 1961, a span covering 54 years. Hennessy and his teammates established a revamped mindset that helped Duke to three wins in their last three postseason games.
Â
Despite the Duke brotherhood, Hennessy was handed a rare scenario that saw him cheering for an opponent. His younger brother Matt lined up on the offensive line for Temple against Duke in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl last December.
Â
The Blue Devils won their third-straight bowl game at the expense of the Hennessy family, turning in a strong second half to top the Owls, 56-27, in Shreveport, La.
Â
"I definitely was pulling for my brother that day, but Duke winning was almost a win-win scenario," Hennessy said. "It was a lot of fun to watch."
Â
Duke family members were on opposing sidelines for Hennessy's first preseason game of 2019, as he and Crowder took on former teammate Jones in his Giants debut under the lights of MetLife Stadium.
Â
Blue Devils currently in the NFL
Name              Pos.  Team               Â
Breon Borders, Â Â Â Â Â CB, Â Â Â Â Jacksonville Jaguars
Ross Cockrell, Â Â Â Â Â CB, Â Â Â Â Carolina PanthersÂ
Jamison Crowder, Â Â Â WR, Â Â Â Â New York Jets
Joe Giles-Harris, Â Â LB, Â Â Â Â Jacksonville Jaguars
Daniel Helm, Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TE, Â Â Â Â San Francisco 49ers*
Thomas Hennessy, Â Â Â LS, Â Â Â Â New York Jets
Daniel Jones,       QB,     New York Giants
Lucas Patrick, Â Â Â OG, Â Â Â Â Green Bay Packers
Matt Skura, Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â C, Â Â Â Baltimore Ravens
Laken Tomlinson, Â Â Â OG, Â Â Â Â San Francisco 49ers
Shaun Wilson, Â Â Â Â Â Â RB, Â Â Â Â Washington Redskins
*practice squad
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Players Mentioned
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Wesley Williams Postgame: NC State
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Sahmir Hagans Postgame: NC State
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Tre Freeman Postgame: NC State
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