Golden Eagles In the National Football League

A Conversation With Philadelphia Eagle Wide Receiver Todd Pinkston

One of the top wide receivers in Southern Miss history shined during his four years with the program.

This receiver flourished under quarterbacks Lee Roberts and Jeff Kelly. He finished his tenure with a 40-game reception streak that rivaled any other top receiver in the nation. He ranks in the top five in many statistical categories, including receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns. He was the last Southern Miss player to tally more than 200 yards in a game, and just one of two players ever to do so.

He is regarded as one of the top pass catchers of all time to wear the Black and Gold, and some may regard him as the best of the bunch.

Many would think that the stats and honors mentioned above belong to the flashy wideout Sherrod Gideon, and while Gideon did put up some of the greatest numbers ever for a Southern Miss receiver, the honors don't belong to him.

They do, however, belong to the other great receiver in recent history - Todd Pinkston.

While Pinkston was a success in his own right at Southern Miss, many years the wideout played second fiddle to teammate Gideon. The two players eventually became the best receiving tandem in school history and helped lead Southern Miss to three Conference USA championships in four years.

Despite having to share receptions with the overall leader, Pinkston fared just as well. He wound up with the near-record totals in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns - all second only to those of Gideon.

If there were people outside of the Southern Miss family who didn't know about Pinkston back then, those people surely know who the receiver is now.

He is no longer a relative unknown because of being the No. 2 receiver in one of more than 100 college football teams. In fact, Pinkston is very well-known now. He may still be a No. 2 receiver, but he's a No.2 receiver in the National Football League.

In the midst of his fourth season as a professional, Pinkston has come into his own. Last season, he enjoyed a career year, leading the Philadelphia Eagles in receptions, yards and touchdowns. His efforts didn't go unnoticed either. In the off-season, Pinkston signed a lucrative five-year contract extension, further securing his success in the NFL.

"I feel like I have been learning a lot over the past few seasons," Pinkston said. "It was a learning process when I was a rookie. Now, I've been a starter for three years, but I'm still trying to improve."

While Pinkston has been a success in his brief career, it hasn't come easy. Pinkston still has to deal with the same question he dealt with during his college years. That question - does he have the size?

"Some people say that I can't get the job done and that I don't have the size," Pinkston said. "So I still have to keep proving to everyone that I can do it."

While he was a senior at Southern Miss, Pinkston stood 6-foot-2 and weighed in at 168 pounds. After four years in the NFL, his weight still hangs on the low side of the scale - all of 174 pounds.

But the lack of size has been a driving force for Pinkston all through his career. Whenever people doubted him in college, he was just motivated to work harder. It was a motivation that helped him become one of the top players at his position. Now, he gets the same sense of motivation from those who doubt his size.

"I experienced that in college as well," Pinkston said. "All it takes is work ethic. I'm always lifting now, and I feel like I have taken a big step in my career."

When he looks back at his college career, Pinkston is proud of what he was able to accomplish. He cherishes the games he played in, the coaches he played for and the teammates he played with. Most importantly, though, Pinkston has fond memories of the success that he and his Southern Miss teammates were able to have.

Pinkston was part of the most successful classes in school history. During his tenure, the team played in three-straight bowl games. It had a share of the league championship in 1996, along with taking the title outright in both 1997 and 1999.

"I have a lot of good memories of Southern Miss," Pinkston said. "We won the Conference USA championship three of the four years I was there, and it was great to play in the bowl games and get the rings."

While no longer with the program, Pinkston has still kept in touch with those who supported him during his time as an Eagle. And now, with the facility renovations, new brand campaign and logo design, he is relishing the direction that his alma mater is taking.

"Things have gotten better since I was there," Pinkston said. "People are starting to notice Southern Miss more as a football school."

Much the same way that people look at Southern Miss more as a football school, people now see Pinkston more as a football player. He may not have the size of a prototype NFL wide receiver, but Pinkston is a definite example that it's what you do with your gifts that count.