From K-State to the Chiefs, this receiver’s transformed life is an NFL feel-good story

When a football player first arrives at Kansas State, one of the first things he encounters is head coach Bill Snyder’s 16 goals to success.

You’ve got to be consistent, you can’t give up, you can’t put limitations on yourself — the kind of affirmations that are not only prevalent between the white lines of the football field, but out of the spotlight in day-to-day life, too.

These 16 goals helped form the man that Byron Pringle, former K-State and current Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, is today.

“If a man wants to be successful, he’s got to use those goals no matter what,” Pringle said on Thursday after training camp.

Picked up by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent following this spring’s NFL Draft, Pringle is grateful for the opportunities that have been given to him, especially considering his troubled past.

At age 16, Pringle was put on four-year probation after being arrested on charges of burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and grand theft in his home state of Florida.

But since then, Byron has excelled both on and off the field, especially since arriving at K-State in 2016 following a two-year stint at Butler Community College.

“When I went into D-I, I went in with a mindset that I’m not giving up and I’m going to approach it with a positive mindset, positive attitude,” Pringle said. “And just don’t feel sorry for myself. So I went in just thinking positive and I got positive results from it.”

The reformed wide receiver certainly did, catching 69 passes for 1,335 yards and 10 touchdowns in his two seasons as a Wildcat. His 24.1-yards-per-catch average in 2017 led all receivers in this year’s draft class.

Off the field, Pringle graduated on time with a degree in sociology and criminology.

When Pringle received a call from the Chiefs heading into the sixth round of the draft, letting him know that if he went undrafted they were interested in signing him, Pringle knew straight away that he wanted to become a Chief.

“I had a couple of teams call me, but I felt like I had a better opportunity being able to play here,” Pringle said.

Pringle is part of a competitive field vying for spots at the Chiefs’ wide receiver positions. He may not be a primary guy for coach Andy Reid anytime soon, but his surprising speed for a guy his size and ability to fit into a more vertical system of offense may just serve rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes well in the coming months.

For now, he’s working hard each day, trying to make an impression and learn all he can.

”It’s a great opportunity to be able to practice with professionals,” Pringle said. “Guys that do their job well, guys that love the game as much as I do.

“It’s just a great experience, like I’m just thankful to have an opportunity to be next to some of these guys.”

This story was originally published August 3, 2018 at 6:14 AM.