Leading up to ArenaBowl XXX, the Arena Football League began announcing its end of the season awards. On Thursday, Kendrick Ings picked up one of the first of the 2017 awards, as he was named Arena Football League Playmaker of the Year, earning the first postseason award of his career.
Ings (5’10”, 180 lbs), in his third season with Tampa Bay, was not only an integral part of a dynamic receiving corps but also boosted the Storm with his talents on special teams.
On the season, Ings lived up to his nickname “Mr. All Purpose,” finishing in the top 10 of several different categories. His 2,219 all-purpose yards led the league by almost 1,000 (Brandon Thompkins finished second with 1,256). Of the top four games in terms of all-purpose yards, Ings had three. His best performance came against ArenaBowl opponent Philadelphia in Week 2. That night, he finished with 346 total yards (137 receiving, 209 kick return).
As a kick returner, he led the league with 1,063 yards (averaging 21.7 yards/kick and 81.8/game) and four returns for touchdowns.
As a receiver, Ings not only finished in the top ten, but in the top five. He finished with 98 catches (fourth in the AFL, also fourth in average at 7.0 per game), 1,141 yards (third, fourth in average at 81.5 yards per game), and 22 touchdowns (fifth).
Ings will use all of these skills to help the Storm bring home their first ArenaBowl since 2003 on Aug. 26.
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