Tim Froberg

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A.J. Klein’s future didn’t seem to point toward the National Football League when he entered Kimberly’s powerhouse prep football program as a high school freshman.

He stood roughly 5-foot-6 and tipped the scales at a not-so-imposing 129 pounds.

Not only did Klein make it to the NFL, but he’s about to play in the ultimate game.

The former Kimberly standout will go after a Super Bowl ring Feb. 7 as a member of the NFC champion Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Klein is a third-year pro and the Panthers’ top backup at strong side and weak side linebacker. He also plays on special teams.

Klein, though, could find himself in a starting role at the Super Bowl. Thomas Davis, the Panthers’ starting weak side linebacker, broke his right arm in Carolina’s 49-15 NFC Championship Game win over Arizona and his status is uncertain for the Super Bowl, although Davis said Monday that he still hoped to play.

“Our entire program is just elated that A.J. is going to get the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl,” said Kimberly head football coach Steve Jones. “That opportunity doesn’t come too often and it couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

Klein was a tackling machine at linebacker for Kimberly teams that won back-to-back Division 2 state titles in 2007 and 2008. He went on to become a three-year starter at Iowa State and a fifth-round pick by the Panthers (148th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft.

“There’s a lot of buzz around the school and community this week about A.J.,” said Kimberly athletic director Ryan McGinnis. “It’s a pretty neat thing. We’re really happy for him. He’s a quality guy, a great guy from a great family.”

Klein has always been proud of his football roots at Kimberly and stays connected to the program. There are times during the offseason when he’ll drop by the school’s workout facilities and either pump some iron with Papermakers players or sweat through conditioning drills with them. Klein’s parents, Len and Jean, still reside in the Kimberly area.

“When he’s home, he always takes time to talk to the kids and work out with them,” said Jones. “He called me last summer and asked when we were working out. And then he dropped by for a conditioning workout. We were running hills, and there was A.J. running hills with the kids. Here was an NFL player, running alongside 14-, 15- and 16-year-old kids.

“After the workout, he gave a little talk to the kids. He’s always been willing to give back to the program.”

Klein’s weight-room feats at Kimberly are legendary, and his extraordinary work ethic is a primary reason why he’s climbed to the game’s highest level.

“To me, the biggest thing that always stood out about him was that he had an unbelievable desire to get better,” said Jones. “It was second to none. It was to the point where we would almost have to ask him to leave the weight room because he was in there so long.”

Jones also remembers the high energy and fierce competitive nature that Klein brought to Papermakers football, whether he was playing in a conference showdown or a Tuesday night practice.

“He was competitive in everything — competitive in the weight room, competitive in practice, competitive in the games,” said Jones. “A lot of guys are competitive when it comes to Friday nights, but I remember how hard he practiced and how hard he worked out.

“In practice, he only had one speed and that was full speed. He wouldn’t let anyone go half speed. He made everyone around him better.”

Josh Heisler, an assistant coach with the Kimberly football program and a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Mapleview Intermediate School, remains friends with Klein and stays in regular contact with him.

“I think anyone around Kimberly, myself included, would be proud of him, whether he was in the NFL or not, because of his work ethic, how humble he is and just how he carries himself and stays in touch with people who helped him along the way,” said Heisler. “It’s real special to me to see this because of the type of kid he is. “

Heisler was Klein’s first football coach at Kimberly — the Papermakers’ freshman coach — when Klein launched his gridiron career as an undersized ninth-grader. He later became Klein’s JV coach and then his varsity position coach at linebacker before becoming the Papermakers’ defensive coordinator.

“A.J. made himself into everything he is today and coaches like myself were lucky to get the chance to coach him,” Heisler said. “When he first started our program, I don’t think anyone could have foreseen what he would eventually do. He was small, but he was young for his class and he was always tough and very instinctive. He was the hardest-working individual I’ve ever been around and I’ve been coaching a long time. He was always very intrinsically motivated, whether as an athlete or if you go by his academic record at Kimberly, or Iowa State.”

Heisler texted Klein his congratulations following the Panthers’ NFC Championship Game win. Less than an hour later, Klein texted back.

“He said, ‘Thanks for everything you’ve done,’ and that it was tough to describe the feeling he was experiencing because it was all so exciting,” said Heisler.

Klein started six games this season, including three for middle linebacker Luke Kuechly when Kuechly was going through the NFL’s concussion protocol. Klein finished the regular season with a career-high 55 tackles (39 solo), one sack and one forced fumble. He played in 15 of 16 regular-season games and has played in 46 of a possible 48 (regular season) games in his NFL career, with 16 starts.

“We have a lot of kids in our school wearing A.J. Klein (No. 56) jerseys,” said Heisler. “I think he has a special influence on students — and not just kids with NFL dreams. I think it shows them that if you have a work ethic and are humble and coachable, you can reach your goals, no matter what profession you choose.”

Tim Froberg: 920-993-1000, ext. 423, or tfroberg@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @twfroberg