Ottawa may be just over 1,000 kilometres away from his birthplace of Muskegon, Michigan, but REDBLACKS receiver Kalil Pimpleton has found a home in the nation’s capital.
After a rookie season that contained just eight regular season appearances, but within them 715 receiving yards, 277 yards after the catch, three touchdowns catches, and a 99-yard punt return score, the REDBLACKS inked their rising star to a two-year extension on the second day of 2025 Training Camp.
For Pimpleton, the situation in the nation’s capital made getting an extension done a no-brainer.
“It means a lot,” said Pimpleton to TSN 1200’s AJ Jakubec after Monday’s practice. “It’s a great organization, and a great team. The coaching staff knows what they’re doing, and they’re very dedicated to the players. I think we can do some great things.”
The news is sure to excite RNation, but perhaps no one is happier to have Pimpleton locked in through 2027 than Head Coach Bob Dyce, not just because of the talent level of his young receiver, but because of his belief in the REDBLACKS’ trajectory.
“The big thing for me is the commitment he was willing to show the city of Ottawa, and how much he loves the town, and how much he loves what we’re doing here,” said Dyce.
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The journey has been well-documented. A stand-out three years at Central Michigan; where Pimpleton earned First Team All-MAC honours at receiver, and a MAC Special Teams Player of the Year award in 2021 rightfully opened the door to NFL looks. Time spent with the Detroit Lions (including an appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks), and the New York Giants didn’t yield a long-term destination, but undeterred, he made an immediate impact north of the border.
Despite a showing that turned heads at Ottawa’s controlled scrimmage in 2024, it took until Week 6 at the Edmonton Elks for Pimpleton to see his first Canadian Football League game action. He wasted little time making his presence known, however, taking a Dru Brown pass 70 yards to the house for his first CFL touchdown, as part of a 153-yard effort. An injury sent him to the six-game injured list just a few weeks later, but Pimpleton picked up right where he left off upon his return, with a career-high 167-yard performance that featured a touchdown in the regular season finale vs Hamilton, and a team-high 123 yards in Ottawa’s Eastern Semi-Final loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
At just 26 years of age, it’s Pimpleton’s potential to improve even more that has his head coach pleased with the prospect of having him on board long-term.
“[I’m] extremely excited,” Dyce said. “To get a player of Kalil’s ability just going into his second year, and knowing that we’re going to have the opportunity to continue watching him grow over the years is just fantastic.”
Pimpleton is perhaps emblematic of the REDBLACKS at large, in that the experiences gained by going 7-1-1 at home and returning to the playoffs in 2024 have laid the groundwork for even greater successes in 2025, and in the years to come.
While a foundation is essential, it’s what you build on top of it that matters. Much like Pimpleton, the REDBLACKS took that belief to heart over the off-season; bringing in key free agents on both sides of the ball, but the offence in particular sees the addition of centre Peter Godber, and of course three-time All-CFL receiver Geno Lewis.
The latter needs no introduction. Seeing what the REDBLACKS are building brought Lewis and his 6,261 career receiving yards to the nation’s capital. While the on-field impact speaks for itself, Pimpleton points to what one of the league’s top players brings to the Ottawa locker room.
“Definitely leadership and work ethic. To get him in here finally, you can tell that the work he did over the offseason translates to the field,” Pimpleton added. “He’s been around for some time, and he knows the in’s and out’s of the game. It just brings that leadership role to help us reach where we’re trying to get to.”
Where Pimpleton’s focus lies goes back to the growth-oriented mindset that he, Dyce, and the entire organization are approaching the 2025 season with. Though last year was a step in the right direction, no one is satisfied with merely making the playoffs. It’s all in the rearview now, as the team eyes improvement.
Just two days into training camp, you won’t hear Pimpleton point to last year’s numbers, or his unanimous nomination for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award. He’s simply focused on how he can get better, and contribute as his team chases their ultimate goal.
“For myself as an individual player, I’m continuing to learn from some of the guys that have been in the league like Geno, [Justin] Hardy, even some guys on the defensive side. Just picking their brains and learning how it is that I can better myself, and better my game to put myself in the best position to help the team.”
Pimpleton and the REDBLACKS will continue building upon their strong foundation, as 2025 Training Camp presented by Daikin rolls on from Queen’s University in Kingston.