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Kyle Dixon, a 26-year-old wide receiver from Carlinville, Illinois, is currently a member of the New England Patriots practice squad. His path to the NFL, however, was anything but straightforward. A multi-sport standout in high school, Dixon excelled as a wide receiver, defensive back, and pitcher, but it was on the baseball mound that his journey out of Carlinville High School began.
Dixon, born in 2001 to Tim and Monica Dixon, played baseball, football, and wrestled in high school, earning praise from coaches for his athletic prowess. "He was a fierce competitor," said Don Borgini, former Carlinville baseball head coach. Monica Dixon added, "He excelled in all of his sports, but was looking for ways to improve his skills. He was always looking online for new training techniques." Despite his success in multiple sports, baseball held a special place for Kyle. "Baseball was a little bit more special for me," he said.
His dedication to baseball was evident, often practicing on a homemade pitcher's mound built with his grandfather. Borgini recalled a sectional game where Dixon struck out 19 of 21 batters. "It is the top game for me as far as a pitcher goes that I've ever seen," Borgini said. Despite the remarkable performance, Dixon's team lost the game. "It might have been the last game I ever played in high school," Dixon reflected.
Dixon's talent attracted attention, leading to a scholarship offer from Southern Illinois University. However, his time there was tumultuous. He committed while Ken Henderson was head coach, but Henderson was fired before Dixon arrived. "You don't really know what to expect as a freshman, especially with the new staff that didn't recruit you," Dixon said. He showed promise early, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his freshman season, limiting him to just eight games. His sophomore year was even tougher, as he posted a 22.50 ERA in four appearances. "I became very focused on looking at MLB pitchers' mechanics and then trying to figure out how I wanted mine to look," Dixon explained. "I think I became too focused on mechanics."
After his scholarship was pulled, Dixon transferred to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), where he reunited with a coach who had recruited him to Carbondale. But that coach soon left to take the head coaching job for SIUE's softball program, leaving Dixon with another staff change. "He could throw the baseball in the lower-to-mid 90s," said Sean Lyons, SIUE baseball head coach. "Sometimes command and where the location of that was sometimes a mystery for him. But when it was right, man, it was really good." Dixon described his season as "progress compared to the year before."
Still seeking a fresh start, Dixon entered the transfer portal and landed at Georgia Gwinnett, an NAIA powerhouse. However, his struggles with control—often called the yips—persisted. "He was good for a hit an inning, a strikeout an inning and a walk an inning," said Jeremy Sheetinger, former Georgia Gwinnett head coach. "Kyle didn't make our postseason roster." Dixon's love for the game faded, and he walked away from sports entirely. "I was still kind of holding out optimism that I was going to be able to figure it out and turn it around," he said.
Dixon moved back home and took a sales job, but he couldn't shake the desire to compete. He began filming workout videos and exploring his remaining eligibility. A friend on the Culver-Stockton coaching staff suggested he try football. Despite a full scholarship offer from Grand Valley State, Dixon chose Culver-Stockton when they matched the offer. "This school really wants me," Dixon said. "Obviously, the money's there. It's going to be a great opportunity, like I'm gonna get to play right away."
At Culver-Stockton, Dixon flourished, recording 25 total touchdowns in two seasons and becoming the first player in school history to post two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He earned All-American honors and an invitation to the Hula Bowl, where the Patriots first took notice. "A lot of physical traits on tape, like you could see him kind of have some natural movement ability and just athleticism," said Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing. Dixon credited self-teaching through YouTube videos of NFL receivers. Downing added, "He kind of looked like a ball of clay to me. The fact that he played with some toughness and effort and finish and physicality, that was the cherry on top."
On the third day of the NFL draft, Dixon's draft party was packed with supporters from his hometown. That's when he got the call from the Patriots. "You've got 30 minutes to make a decision," Dixon recalled. "So I went with them and then after that—probably 15 minutes later—I actually went out and proposed to my wife."
Dixon arrived in New England for rookie minicamp but was sidelined by a back injury for a few weeks. He returned to play in the final two preseason games, including an eight-catch performance against Cleveland. "He was a little banged up through camp, so it was kind of in and then out, and then in and then out," Downing said. "What he showed us was a passion for the game. He was a gym rat. He stayed in the facility and watched a bunch of tape, studied his playbook. Stayed on top of everything."
Although Dixon was released during roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad, he has impressed teammates with his work ethic. "We walk together to pretty much every meeting. Sit and have breakfast together," said wide receiver Cameron Dorner. "Not much of a talker, but he is a worker for sure." Fellow receiver Efton Chism III added, "He's awesome. Just trying to see him grow and develop as a football player after not playing for so long, he's open about it. He's so open to learning new skills."
Dixon's journey has come full circle, from pitching on the mound to running routes on the gridiron. "We all agree if he would've chosen football from the beginning, we don't think he would have found this success," Monica Dixon said. "It makes our hearts happy that he finally is seeing the rewards for all the work he has put in." As Sheetinger put it, "The twisted path can be the perfect path. If you land where you're supposed to be, those peaks, valleys, twists and turns were all part of the plan." Dixon echoed that sentiment: "You just gotta embrace it. This is what I'm doing, this is my path and it is what it is."
Key Analysis
Kyle Dixon's story is a remarkable example of perseverance and adaptability. Despite facing numerous obstacles—from coaching changes and a pandemic to control issues on the mound—Dixon never lost his competitive spirit. His transition from baseball to football, aided by his natural athleticism and work ethic, has given him a second chance at a professional sports career. Now with the Patriots, Dixon's journey serves as an inspiration, proving that success can come from the most unexpected paths.