Pivot Point: Reinvesting in Wichita a point of pride for NFL alum Kamerion Wimbley

Here’s a Wichita-centric football trivia question to throw out at your Super Bowl party Sunday.

Wichita native and Northwest High grad Kamerion Wimbley, who played nine years as a linebacker and defensive end in the NFL, was a two-time All-City football selection at what position?

Punter. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound high schooler was a quarterback and fearsome defensive player — and also the league’s best punter for two seasons.

Wimbley found fame at Florida State, then was an NFL first-round draft pick and played nine healthy seasons before retiring after the 2014 season.

At 34, Wimbley is a success story among NFL alumni. He lives in Florida, but has made serious investments in Wichita with 15 commercial and residential properties and a half-dozen businesses.

“He definitely cares where he came from, and that’s pretty unique and nice to see,” said longtime friend Terry Atwater of It Takes A Village Inc., an operator of group homes for Wichita children in foster care.

Wichita would do well to market Wimbley, reaching for kids willing to study a professional athlete’s life-after-sports success. He could also show them if he still has his punting prowess.

This story was originally published January 31, 2018 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Pivot Point: Reinvesting in Wichita a point of pride for NFL alum Kamerion Wimbley."