The football team won the North I Group IV state sectional championships in 1987 with a 13–7 win against Bayonne High School, finishing the season undefeated for the first time. Kennedy plays an annual Thanksgiving Day football game against Eastside High School. The days leading up to the game are filled with school spirit as the Knights and Ghosts prepare to face off. Not only do the football players practice, but so do the band, cheerleaders, and color guard of both schools. In 2011, Eastside won the 87th annual match-up between the two schools by a score of 17–12. NJ.com listed the rivalry at 21st on its 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", with Kennedy leading the series by a 43-42-7 margin.