Kameron Kelly has been known to enjoy a few hours playing Madden football in his down time. But he has discovered that the video game is good for more than a competitive battle among friends.
When the safety moved to the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Battlehawks from his 2023 home with San Antonio, he had much to learn about the system run by defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham.
“It sounds funny, but what helped me learn this defense is that as I play Madden, I’m calling all the same things Coach (Abraham) is calling,†Kelly said. “It really makes sense. When I go home and play Madden, I’m basically running my defense. People don’t realize it’s a great way to study those concepts.â€
For a player who has switched positions repeatedly since high school, Kelly has caught on well through five games as the Battlehawks face a meeting with Houston at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Dome at America’s Center.
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He contributed his first interception of the season in last weekend’s win at D.C. and has helped stabilize a secondary that coach Anthony Becht sought to revamp during the offseason.
Kelly’s versatility has helped him adjust to new challenges repeatedly. A quarterback in high school, he became a receiver, a return man, and eventually was converted to defensive back at San Diego State.
He played in the Canadian Football League and became an all-star linebacker before signing with San Antonio.
“My dad had a similar background,†Kelly said. “He was a quarterback and got to college and played safety. I just love playing football, so the more you can do the better — be a Swiss Army Knife on the field and help where you can.â€
Kelly played 14 games with one start for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019, contributing 21 tackles after spending one season with the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football.
He has lived the life of a player seeking to continue his career by playing in five leagues in the last five years.
Kelly has mentioned to Battlehawks coaches that if they’re ever in need of a third quarterback in desperate situation, he’s their man. He estimated he can still throw the ball 60 yards. It all started when he first started in pee-wee football.
“In fifth grade we had a little combine and kids did drills for coaches,†he said. “So, the coach who picked me said, ‘I want you to come be my quarterback.’ â€
The dream of taking that beyond high school ended when Kelly broke his elbow in the first game of his junior season on a long touchdown pass. He had surgery the next day. When he returned from the injury he broke a foot in a playoff game.
Kelly was recruited to San Diego State as an athlete. He was first tried at receiver before the move to safety. It’s been a sequence of events that he believes has helped on the defensive side, especially with pre-snap reads.
“Formations definitely tell a lot, and actually my post-snap reads are helped,†he said. “You’d be surprised how much you can read now because you understand the concepts and formations.â€
Kelly said he has become a much better tackler since his days with the Steelers, although he still would rate throwing a touchdown pass as a bigger thrill than delivering a big hit because it puts points on the scoreboard.
He has one interception return for a touchdown in his career and that came during his season in the AAF.
“They say defensive backs can’t catch, but most have good hands with their receiving background,†Kelly said. “We’re all really just football payers at the end of the day.â€