 Kendrick was born in Miami, Florida in 1952 to Green Lester and Pearlie Mae Kendrick.He attended Miami Springs High School in Miami Springs, Florida, where he played high school football for the Miami Springs Golden Hawks.Kendrick received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Doug Dickey's Florida Gators football team from 1971 to 1973.