NKY sports icon continues to shine with Lions

The history of sports in Northern Kentucky goes back a long way. A very long way. Decades. Centuries.

We know you’ve seen these lists before, but this is a different and unique way of presenting our “50 sports icons in Northern Kentucky” as we’ll provide you one per day over the next 50 days.

Hall of Fames are everywhere in NKY, the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, NKU, Thomas More and local high schools all have something to recognize their past.

We’ll preface this series by saying this, some of you may disagree with who should or shouldn’t be in the top 50 and that’s fine. Plenty are in the Hall of Very Good, but we feel these 50 are the one’s who stuck out to us.

Sports Editor Evan Dennison spoke and conferred with several local NKY sports history buffs to get their opinions and lists of their own and who should be “locks” for the 50 sports icons. We compiled each list and came up with the 50 of our own (maybe cheated a little by putting families in as one) to present over the next 50 days.

Hope you enjoy as summer time rolls on!

The 22nd of the 50 sports is Holy Cross grad Derrick Barnes, who recently signed a second contract with the Detroit Lions.

DERRICK BARNES

Holy Cross grad Derrick Barnes recently agreed to stay with the Detroit Lions on a three-year contract. Duane Burleson | Associated Press

A second contract in the NFL means you’ve made it. Holy Cross grad Derrick Barnes certainly has. Barnes graduated from Holy Cross in 2017, played four years at Purdue and was then a 2021 fourth round draft pick for the Detroit Lions.

Barnes lettered for two seasons for the Indians, his numbers off the charts as he collected 255 tackles in those two seasons to go with five fumble recoveries, four interceptions and four defensive touchdowns. The two-way player also ran for 2,383 yards in those two seasons with 34 rushing touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 233 yards and a receiving touchdown. He led the team in scoring both seasons as the Indians made the Class 2A state semifinals in 2016.

His efforts earned him first team All-State and the Class 2A, 6th District player of the Year in the 2016 . He also played basketball and ran track for the Indians.

In his four years at Purdue, Barnes appeared in 41 games and made 30 starts, recording 226 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. He was named Second Team All-Big Ten in 2020 and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2019.

Through his first four seasons with the Lions, Barnes has started in 26-of-51 games played and recorded 194 tackles (114 solo), 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, four sacks, four pass defenses and a forced fumble.

He recently agreed to re-sign with the Lions on a three-year, $24 million dollar deal.

See the 50 sports icons on a day-to-day basis over the next 50 days

— Day 1: Dave Cowens

— Day 2: Shaun Alexander

— Day 3: Homer Rice

— Day 4: Dicky Beal

— Day 5: Jared Lorenzen

— Day 6: Jim Bunning

— Day 7: Tom Ellis

— Day 8: Nate Dusing

— Day 9: Jim Connor

— Day 10: Steve Cauthen