If you are a fan of American football, you might have heard of Matt Ammendola and Danny Amendola, two kickers who have played in the National Football League (NFL). But are they related? And what are their backgrounds and achievements? In this article, we will explore the facts and myths about these two players and their possible connection.
Who is Matt Ammendola?
Matt Ammendola is a 26-year-old kicker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he set several records and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2007. He went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, but signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent. He was later released by the Panthers and joined the New York Jets, where he made his NFL debut in 2021. He also had brief stints with the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, and Green Bay Packers. According to Wikipedia, he made 18 field goals out of 26 attempts, with a longest of 49 yards, and scored 20 points in his NFL career.
Who is Danny Amendola?
Danny Amendola is a 37-year-old former wide receiver who is now a coaching assistant/returners coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. He played college football at Texas Tech, where he was a teammate of future NFL star Patrick Mahomes. He was also undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft, but signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. He spent his rookie season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, and then joined the Philadelphia Eagles, where he also spent most of his time on the practice squad. He finally got his chance to play in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, where he spent four seasons and led the league in kickoff return yards in 2009. He then signed with the New England Patriots, where he won two Super Bowls and became one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans before retiring as a player in 2022. According to Wikipedia, he had 617 receptions for 6,212 yards and 24 touchdowns, as well as 5,450 return yards and two passing touchdowns, in his NFL career.
The short answer is no. Matt Ammendola and Danny Amendola are not related by blood or marriage. They have different parents, different birthplaces, different spellings of their last names (Matt has an extra ‘m’), and different ethnic backgrounds (Matt is of Italian descent, while Danny is of Irish and Italian descent). They have never played on the same team or met each other in person. They are simply two players who share a similar surname and position.
However, there is some confusion about their relationship because of some misleading articles and social media posts that claim they are brothers or cousins. For example, Vim Buzz published an article titled “Danny Amendola Siblings: Meet brother Matt Amendola”, which falsely stated that Matt was Danny’s younger brother and that they grew up together in Texas. This article was based on a tweet by Matt’s father, Rich Ammendola, who jokingly called Danny his “other son” after he scored a touchdown for the Lions in 2019. Rich later clarified that he was not serious and that Matt and Danny were not related at all.
Another source of confusion is that Matt sometimes goes by the nickname “Danny Jr.” or “DJ” because of his resemblance to Danny. He even wore Danny’s jersey number (80) when he played for the Jets. However, this is just a playful homage to Danny and not an indication of any family ties.
Conclusion
Matt Ammendola and Danny Amendola are two talented kickers who have made their mark in the NFL, but they are not related in any way. They have different backgrounds, careers, and achievements, but they also have some similarities and mutual respect. They are both undrafted free agents who worked hard to make it to the NFL, they both played college football in Texas, they both have Italian ancestry, and they both have a passion for kicking. They are not brothers or cousins, but they are part of the same fraternity of NFL kickers who share a common bond.
