Hinton Set to Speak at Wake Forest Commencement
5/6/2021 7:44:00 AM | Football
Former Wake Forest quarterback and wide receiver will join Condoleezza Rice and Pete Buttigieg in delivering commencement addresses.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Former Wake Forest football student-athlete Kendall Hinton will be one of three speakers at this year's commencement ceremony at Truist Field on May 16 at 8:30 p.m.
Hinton will be joined by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and current Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who will all deliver addresses to the Class of 2021.
Joined by the Wake Forest legend @Kendall_Hinton2 #GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/xytxrAOY1F
— Dave Clawson (@CoachClawson) May 5, 2021
Rising to the Occasion
After resigning with Denver's practice squad in early November, rookie wide receiver Kendall Hinton was training every day in anticipation for his NFL debut.
Just over three weeks later, his promotion to the Broncos active roster went differently than anyone might have planned.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, Hinton signed for the following day's contest with New Orleans.
He was not going to be running routes, but instead lacing it up as the starting quarterback.
It was a position he had not taken a snap at since 2018 as the Wake Forest quarterback against Clemson. Less than 24 hours after being elevated to starter, he took 24 snaps under center in one of the more improbable debuts in NFL history.
After seizing the moment and holding his own against the Saints, Hinton received outpouring praise and support from all over the football world.
Mad respect & props 4 @Kendall_Hinton2... I don't care stats or score, this young man did nothing but battle w/ the crappy hand he was dealt! Have heart & courage like that - in the world of haters - he deserves more shots to get on field doing what he does best! #TakeHimOnMyTeam
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) November 29, 2020
Former Baltimore Colts running back Tom Matte, who was also an "emergency starter" in 1965, wrote a letter to Kendall recognizing his heart and determination in the face of challenging circumstances.
As a quarterback at Wake Forest, Hinton passed for 1,504 yards and eight touchdowns. After making the switch to wide receiver, he had a spectacular redshirt senior campaign, catching 73 passes for 1,001 yards and four touchdowns.
He is the only Demon Deacon in program history to score in five different seasons.
