Miami traded rookie quarterback Bill Kenney to Washington on…
Miami traded rookie quarterback Bill Kenney to Washington on August 1, 1978 for a conditional 1979 sixth-round draft choice. Washington released Kenney three weeks later before the regular season, and contemporaneous reporting states that the sixth-round pick reverted to Washington. Miami therefore retained no exercised draft return from the deal.
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 1979 sixth-round pick (reverted to Washington after Kenney was released; not retained by Miami)
Washington Commanders Received
- player Bill Kenney
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Washington acquired quarterback Bill Kenney from Miami on August 1, 1978 for a 1979 sixth-round draft choice. Kenney had been Miami's twelfth-round selection earlier that year, No. 333 overall, after a college career at Northern Colorado. Contemporary Washington coverage and transaction ledgers agree on the player-for-pick structure.
Washington Return
Kenney spent only a few weeks with Washington. The club released him on August 21 before the regular season, and he never appeared in a Washington regular-season game. Kenney later developed into a long-term NFL starter with Kansas City, but none of that later production belongs to Washington in franchise-return grading.
Miami Return
The crucial detail is what happened to the sixth-round choice. A Washington Post report published immediately after Kenney's release states that the 1979 sixth-round pick reverted to Washington. That means Miami did not retain an exercised draft asset from the transaction. ProSportsTransactions likewise flags the pick as not exercised, which is consistent with the reversion.
Why the Legacy Even Grade Needed Better Support
The old row reached an Even Trade verdict but treated the pick as merely uncertain. The historical record is stronger than that. Washington received zero regular-season value from Kenney, while Miami lost the conditional pick when the condition failed and therefore received no lasting draft value. The result is genuine parity at zero realized franchise return, not parity inferred from missing information.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Both teams receive C- grades because Washington got no regular-season contribution from Kenney and Miami did not retain the conditional sixth-round selection. The contemporary reversion report and player records support a high-confidence low-return verdict.