Malcolm Jenkins reported to the Eagles’ practice facility Monday, one day ahead of the team’s mandatory minicamp. The veteran safety took and passed his physical, and plans on being there Tuesday morning with his teammates.
Earlier in the day, there was some doubt about whether Jenkins would show as he hinted at holding out for a new contract after skipping OTAs. Not only did the heart and soul of the defense show up, but he also delivered an inspiring message to the fans and organization. According to 6abc’s Sharrie Williams, Jenkins was “excited to be back with the team” and he’s “solely focused on football and helping my team win a championship.”
Just spoke with @MalcolmJenkins 👇🏽👇🏽
“I’m really excited to be back with the team. Contract situations are always a part of the business that need to be addressed. The next few days I’m going to focus solely on football and helping my team win a championship.” @Eagles #Eagles
Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz never had a doubt. He had stated in previous comments that “when the chips are down, you can count on Malcolm Jenkins.” Those words proved prophetic Monday afternoon.
“I know this, when the chips are down, you’ll be able to count on Malcolm Jenkins,” Schwartz told reporters last week. “And a lot of other guys we’re trying to find that out about, and that’s what they’re doing here at this time of year. Malcolm has some of those credits already in his bank account.”
It appears he may have left Philadelphia after taking his physical, though. Jenkins posted an Instagram story showing students at a charter school in Brooklyn dancing on stage with photos of the Eagles safety on display in front. Jenkins’ charity work saw no bounds, even when the rest of the world was questioning his intentions.
It should be noted that the 31-year-old has seen virtually no drop-off in his play. Jenkins suited up for all 16 regular-season games in 2018 and his 97 total tackles were the second-highest mark of his career. In addition, Jenkins’ 10 total tackles in the playoff loss to New Orleans led the entire team. He seems to have found a perfect fit in Philadelphia.
Malcolm Jenkins found his perfect fit in Philadelphia.
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Malcolm Jenkins: ‘Focused Solely on Helping Eagles Win a Championship’