Behind the Body: Tennessee Titans linebacker Kamerion Wimbley

Author:
Sarah Toland
Publish date:
Aug 19, 2014

The fact that Titans outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley has been the centerfold subject of several national magazine shoots should tell you something about the kind of reaction his appearance elicits from his male and female fans. And while Wimbley acknowledges his physique is exemplary—“I don’t think many people who play at the professional level in the NFL have normal body types,” he says—the response he enjoys most is the one he gets from young children. “The little kids always crack me up. They’ll compare me to their dad and say, ‘Wow, you could beat him up!’” says the former Oakland Raider.

And these days, Wimbley is spending even more time in the weight room, as the 6-4, 260-pound former Florida State star sweats it out in training camp preceding his ninth season in the NFL. “I feel pretty good,” says Wimbley, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns as the 10th overall pick in 2006. “I’ve had a productive camp so far.”

But even productivity can turn to vanity in the Titans locker room at times. “We always joke about what we look like in our uniforms and how we look on pictures on social media,” says Wimbley. To see how the heartthrob works out and which home-cooked meal won him the attention of chef Rachael Ray, keep reading.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Josh Johnson (8) is pursued by Tennessee Titans defensive end Kamerion Wimbley (95) in the second half of a preseason game in Cincinnati, Saturday, August 2013.
AP Photo/Tom Uhlman


age	height	weight
30 years old	6-foot-4	260 lbs.

Training grounds: Nashville and Tampa

Nickname: “Killer” and “Cement Man.” “Some of the guys [on the Titans] call me ‘Killer,’ but I’m not really a killer—it’s after the rapper, Killa Kam. And then in college, some of the guys would joke around and call me ‘Cement Man,’ like an action figure.”

Body fat: Between 6 and 9 percent

Hours spent training per day: Up to two during season

Days spent training per week: Six during season: “We get Tuesdays off.”

Hours spent in the weight room per week: Six to eight

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Go-to workout: Olympic-style lifting. “With my position, we have to do a lot of explosive movements; we have to have a lot of speed. Olympic lifting is probably the workout I rely on the most to help me with position. Squats, power cleans, hang cleans—those are probably my most important workouts.”

Secret workout: Cycling and running in the off-season. “I have a bike trail by my house, so I spend a lot of time biking. I also have dogs, so I run with them a lot. So I get a lot of cardio in the off-season, and I think that helps me a lot.”

Biggest physical challenge: Remaining disciplined off the filed. “You give yourself the best chance of being successful when you’re eating the right way, making sure you’re working out and getting enough rest. When you’re trying to put in time with your family, going to work and any other hobbies or things you might do, staying disciplined can be challenging. But I think a good athlete and those who stay around in the sport for a long time find a way to balance it all out.”

Best recovery tip: Ice tubs. “Ice tubs are crucial whenever you’re hurting after an intense workout. Drinking a lot of water is also crucial—I think a lot of people may skip over that, but I understand the importance of hydration. Deep-tissue massage is also helpful, along with acupuncture.”

Calories consumed per day:“I never really count my calories. I know I should, but I think it’s more important to eat a balanced meal. Obviously, now I’m in training camp, I’m burning a lot of calories, so I try to eat as much as I can—about four to fives times a day with two helpings per meal.”

Favorite pre-game meal: Fruit smoothie followed by a big breakfast. “If it’s a noon game or an early game, I’ll try to go with a shake with strawberries, banana, peanut butter and maybe a little protein powder. And then I’ll probably have three to four eggs, bacon, some waffles and a glass of orange juice.”

Typical recovery meal: Barbecue. “When I’m with my family, in a lot of cases after a game, we’ll go to a steak house. I’ll get either ribs, chicken or some steak, along with a salad, so I get some greens in.”

Celebration meal: Five Guys. “I’m addicted to their burgers and fries. I think they’re phenomenal.”

Biggest dietary vice: Chips. “I love chips, especially kettle-cooked chips. I’ll go through a whole bag if there’s any in the house. I can’t keep too many of those around.”

2014 Fantasy Football Sleepers Vol. 2

Jeremy Hill - RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Hill is the new power back to compliment Giovani Bernard in Cincinnati. The second-round rookie should play a role similar to BenJarvus Green-Ellis last season but with significantly more upside.

LeGarrette Blount - RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Blount averaged five yards per carry last season in New England and his style translates perfectly to Pittsburgh’s smash-mouth style. He’s one Le’Veon Bell injury away from being a fantasy asset.

Storm Johnson - RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Toby Gerhart is a true three-down back but he had better perform in his first season as a starter, because Johnson will be waiting for his chance. The talented rookie from UCF has the tools to emerge as a capable fantasy option.

Latavius Murray - RB, Oakland Raiders

Murray is only draftable in extremely deep leagues, but he’s a talented runner who is backing up two injury-prone veterans on the depth chart. Keep an eye on him if Maurice Jones-Drew or Darren McFadden goes down with an injury.

Darren Sproles - RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Sproles has caught at least 70 balls in each of the last three seasons and moved to Chip Kelly’s pass-happy offense in Philadelphia. He’s a big-play threat who should outperform his average draft position, especially in PPR formats.

Mark Ingram - RB, New Orleans Saints

Will this be the year that the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner breaks out? It could be, with Darren Sproles out of town and Pierre Thomas falling down the depth chart. Ingram is still only 24 years old and has the tools to be a fantasy star.

Jonathan Grimes - RB, Houston Texans

Grimes is emerging as the primary backup to Arian Foster with a nice training camp. Fantasy owners know all about Foster’s injury history and his backups tend to make an impact at some point during the season.

James Starks - RB, Green Bay Packers

Starks averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season and is a must-own handcuff for all Eddie Lacy owners. Starks instantly becomes a high-end RB2 in all leagues if Lacy goes down at any point.

Andre Williams - RB, New York Giants

The rookie out of Boston College will take a backseat to Rashad Jennings early in the season but is talented enough to eventually steal the job. Either way, Williams is expected to be the goal-line back and fantasy owners should keep an eye on him.

Emmanuel Sanders - WR, Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning has a new toy and that's great news for fantasy owners. Sanders has the skillset to make a significant impact as the Broncos’ third receiver.

Cole Beasley - WR, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys should have a dominant passing game and Beasley should be a capable slot receiver. He could emerge as one of Tony Romo’s favorite targets.

Odell Beckham - WR, New York Giants

The rookie from LSU is expected to stretch the field for Eli Manning and could be a nice fantasy asset immediately. His average draft position should creep up as he proves healthy in camp.

Golden Tate - WR, Detroit Lions

Tate moves to an up-tempo offense in Detroit and gets to play opposite Calvin Johnson, which is very good news for his fantasy appeal. He should be a nice WR3 facing single coverage on a weekly basis.

Mike Evans - WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The No. 7 overall pick has lofty expectations and is in a great situation to succeed. The 6’5 Evans will find plenty of single coverage playing opposite Vincent Jackson and could be the league’s top rookie for fantasy purposes.

Charles Johnson - WR, Cleveland Browns

The Grand Valley State product has been a training camp standout and could emerge as a starter in Cleveland. The Browns will be desperate for a play-making WR once Josh Gordon starts serving his suspension.

Kyle Rudolph - TE, Minnesota Vikings

Rudolph isn’t necessarily a “sleeper,” but he could easily outperform his ADP. Norv Turner turns tight ends into fantasy stars and Rudolph is primed for a career-best season.

Jordan Reed - TE, Washington Redskins

Reed showed glimpses of his potential last season, when he caught 45 balls in only nine games. The sky is the limit if Reed can stay healthy in 2014. He’s simply too talented to be overlooked.

Eli Manning - QB, New York Giants

The younger Manning gets a fresh start with new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and he should improve upon his miserable 18/27 TD/INT ratio from 2013. You can draft him as a backup for fantasy purposes but he has the ability to sneak into the Top 12 QBs when the season concludes.

Andy Dalton - QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Dalton was quietly a fantasy monster last season, finishing with 4,293 passing yards and 33 TDs. Doubters will say Dalton is streaky, just signed a huge deal and has a new offensive coordinator, but, regardless, he is an absolute steal at his current ADP.

Josh McCown - QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

McCown was an elite fantasy QB during a three-game stretch last season and parlayed the success into a starting gig in Tampa Bay. His new weapons (Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans) resemble his old weapons (Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery) in both size and ability. McCown is a sneaky option if you need a QB late in your draft.

Alcohol of choice: Wine. “Every once in a while I have a glass of wine.”

On winning the NFL player cook-off on the Rachael Ray show last year:“I won with my grits and Andouille sausage. It was a nice little recipe my wife found that I practiced. I’ll try almost anything at least once. I love grilling steaks, but the meal I probably cook the most is breakfast. I’ll make waffles from scratch.”

On what others say about his body:“A lot of people will look at my pictures on social media, and the ladies will make comments. Then, my guy friends will say to me, ‘My girl was looking at your photo and talking about your body.’ And a couple of women who are brave enough will check me out in public if they don’t know I’m married.”

On what he thinks about his body:“I realize that I’m not normal—I don’t think many people who play at the professional level in the NFL have normal body types. But I look at myself like most people do and see things I want to improve or that could be better. Yet I realize my parents came together, and it was a good combination for what I do [as a football player.]”

On what his 6- and 2-year-old daughters think of their football-star father:“They’re both very aware that I play, and they always recognize the Titans logo when they see it—even the 2-year old. They both go to homes games. We have a suite at the stadium and they just have a blast. The older one loves to tell her friends that her dad plays football.”