Philadelphia Eagles

Despite his success in college, Pinkston's selection in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles raised some eyebrows due to his slight build.^[2] At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Pinkston reportedly weighed only 167 pounds at the time of the draft.

After seeing only slight action in 2000, Pinkston took over as a starter in 2001 following the release of Charles Johnson and Torrance Small. Partnering with James Thrash, Pinkston caught 42 balls for 586 yards and four touchdowns. In 2002, Pinkston enjoyed his best year. He hauled in 60 receptions for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. His performance that season earned him a five-year contract extension with the Eagles, which included a large signing bonus.^[3]

Pinkston's numbers dipped slightly in 2003, but he was productive down the stretch and registered a key touchdown in a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, the next week, Pinkston was held catchless by Carolina Panthers cornerback, Ricky Manning Jr. Manning snagged three interceptions, and the Eagles lost the 2003 NFC Championship 14–3, the third consecutive defeat suffered by the team in the conference title game.

Criticism of Pinkston turned particularly harsh after a game against the Washington Redskins on December 12, 2004, when Pinkston was accused of giving up on a catchable pass across the middle. ESPN analyst Joe Theismann commented "...this is a great way to lose your job as a receiver in the National Football League." However, later that half Pinkston was the recipient of an 80-yard pass from Donovan McNabb, furthering the paradox between his big play potential and his reluctance to run routes in traffic.

This negative publicity notwithstanding, Pinkston's 18.8 yards-per-catch average for the 2004 regular season was exceeded by only one other NFL receiver with as many or more receptions than the 36 he recorded (Ashley Lelie of the Denver Broncos averaged 20.1), and his six catches gaining 40 or more yards was topped by only three other receivers (teammate Terrell Owens, who had nine, and Javon Walker of the Green Bay Packers and Dennis Northcutt of the Cleveland Browns with seven each).

After having made four receptions for 82 yards in Super Bowl XXXIX, Pinkston was forced to leave the game with leg cramps.

On August 5, 2005, Pinkston sustained a torn Achilles tendon in training camp practice, putting him out for the 2005 season.

During the 2006 pre-season, he was still hobbled from his Achilles injury, only catching one pass for four yards. On August 29, 2006, Pinkston was released by the Eagles following the acquisition of Donté Stallworth.

Minnesota Vikings

On September 3, 2006, Pinkston signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, whose head coach, Brad Childress, was the former Eagles offensive coordinator. Pinkston was cut six days later on September 9.

Washington Redskins

On August 13, 2007, Pinkston, recovered from his Achilles injury, signed with the Washington Redskins, but failed to make the team's final roster.

NFL statistics