ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Kalil Pimpleton hasn't had much time for a job over the past five years. He's been focused on school and football. As a result, there hasn't been many job interviews, but now he's in the middle of the biggest interview of his life.
"I haven't proved anything in the NFL yet," Pimpleton said. "So it's definitely a job interview. This is work for me right now, this is missing my main focus to come out here, you know, and prove myself every day."
The Muskegon native is trying to make the Lions roster as an undrafted free agent. It's an uphill climb, but he's attacking it the only way he knows how: with a tremendous amount of hard work.
From minicamps, to OTA's to training camp, Pimpleton has developed a reputation for putting in extra work after practice and always being one of the last players to come off the field.
"I guess it's just something that's always been instilled in me, you know, since since the high school days, even middle school," says the former Big Red QB. "This is my passion. It's nothing special about being last on the field. It's really just something that's really just instilled in me that, you know, to always get that extra work."
While extra reps after workouts aren't new to Pimpleton, he says the NFL work load is different. It forces him to approach preparation in a different way.
"It's (the pro game) more mental than physical. So it's important to make sure that I'm taking care of my mental aspect, and definitely the physical, you know, on my way to the cold tub right now. But but definitely the mental aspect."
The 5'9, 172-pound receiver expects to get an opportunity on special teams. After all, he was a two-time All-MAC selection at Central Michigan as well as the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Pimpleton isn't rushing, though. He just wants to work as he always has, because he knows he has to fight to prove himself every day.
"When was the last time you tried out for a football team?" I asked.
"Today," he said without hesitation. "I mean, today was the last time I had to try out for a football team, you know, and I'm still here. Until I'm gone I'm going to continue to try out."
Training Camp continues Friday July 29th and Saturday July 30th before the players get their first day off on Sunday July 31st.
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