There are a few things that most offensive linemen have in common. Whether it’s fueling up with good food or sharpening iron in the weight room, they’re the necessity offensive linemen can’t live without in their football career.
As the offseason comes to an end, Lions offensive tackle Kent Perkins reflects on his downtime when the Texas native visited New York for the very first time. Seeing a pizza shop on every street corner in the big apple was eye-opening for Kent. And trying the famous chopped cheese in New York brought joy to the cooking enthusiast.
Calories in. Calories out. Kent knows his due diligence of staying in shape as a football player. Over the years in sports, Kent has developed a special bond with the weight room. He has a unique story about why he began lifting weights in the first place. Before he switches on for another season, here are 5 Things to Know about the Lions’ offensive tackle.
1. Kent has tattoos dedicated to his mom and three sisters
He started 18 regular season games in 2022 at right tackle. The 28-year-old heads into his third season in the CFL with so much left to play. He has a tattoo on his left bicep with his mom’s name and four roses, signifying how important his mom and three sisters mean to him. He got the ink when he was around 22 years old. When his oldest sister got sick, Kent got a tattoo on his right bicep with his sister’s name and an angel looking over her.
Courtesy of Kent Perkins
2. Kent is a big manga and anime fan
It all started when his friend in college had him hooked on anime, especially One Piece. Which is about the adventure of Monkey D. Luffy with his pirate crew that goes on an adventure to find the greatest treasure. The manga was initially released in 1999 and it’s still going strong in 2023, compiling more than 100 volumes.
“So I say One Piece is my favourite. I’ve been watching it for ages. I like My Hero Academia, too. And there’s a new one that just came out it’s called Hell’s Paradise,” he said.
“One thing I really like about One Piece is that the fight scene gets better and better compared to when the amine started. It’s crazy how consistent the writers and developers have been so consistent all these years with the episodes.”
3. Kent has a French bulldog and a Pitbull
His Frenchie, named Pinto Beans got its name because he has the worst gas ever, according to Kent. Pinto Beans lives with Kent in B.C. If you ever spotted a person built like a tank walking a French Bulldog in the Surrey neighbourhood, it’ll most likely be Kent Perkins.
Kent’s Pitbull lives with one of his sisters in Texas. When Kent first got King, he was in rough shape. King was chained outside and was severely malnourished with skin problems. Kent nursed King back to health, now he’s a healthy six-year-old Pitbull.
“He was like around all the big dogs. He was full of fleas and his skin was messed up. I call him King because he was in a bad state. I got him back to full health. Now he’s a King,” Kent said.
Courtesy of Kent Perkins
4. Kent is an enthusiast in the kitchen
He preps the majority of his food at home. Dining out sounds nice and all but Kent prefers trying different recipes in his kitchen. Although he has to keep his recipes healthy, Kent’s ultimate comfort food is mac n’ cheese. The Texas native has tried various styles of mac n’ cheese since playing in the CFL, but nobody does it better than the South.
“My signature dish is probably honey garlic baked chicken quarter legs, I do that with some rice or sweet potatoes with a side of broccoli or asparagus,” he added.
“Honestly, the mac n’ cheese at all the places isn’t bad. Like it’s good but it’s a certain taste in the south. When you cook mac n’ cheese, you got to cook it twice. One on the stove, one in the oven. When you cook it the second time in the oven, you put more cheese on top of it. That’s when you get the little golden brown on top. When you break into it, the mac n’ cheese is real smooth and cheesy.”
5. Kent started lifting weights in elementary school
He even asked his mom for a weight set for Christmas when he was a kid. He and his cousins were really into wrestling. They would imitate their favourite wrestler’s moves. For Kent, it was The Rock. Weightlifting just fell to him when he wanted to be like Dwayne Johnson.
“I started lifting when I was in elementary. I got really serious when I reached the seventh grade. Me and my cousins were wrestling all the time, we would imitate the wrestlers coming out of the tunnel. Me and my cousins were really rough with each other, we would wrestle outside on the concrete,” Kent recalled.
“I love to lift weights as a hobby, too. Even if I wasn’t in sports right now, I would always go to the weight room. It just brings me peace and makes me feel good about the day.”
With a new season approaching, the right tackle is excited to set the tone early in training camp. This year, Kent is teamed up with CFL vet Shawn Lemon, who Kent praised when he had to face for the last two seasons against Calgary. Kent says the veteran edge-rusher will elevate his level of play and improve his weakness.