NFL

Saints safety Jenkins announces retirement

By Sports Desk March 30, 2022

Two-time Super Bowl champion safety Malcolm Jenkins has announced his retirement after 13 seasons in the NFL.

Jenkins had a decorated career playing for the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles, winning Super Bowls with both.

The three-time Pro Bowler was a first-round draft pick by the Saints in 2009 out of Ohio State, spending five seasons in New Orleans before heading to Philadelphia.

Jenkins made 1,044 tackles across his career, in which he also recorded 21 interceptions and 110 pass breakups. He scored eight defensive touchdowns.

He took to Twitter on Wednesday to write: "Grateful. After 13 seasons, my time on the football field has come to an end. I'm just a boy from Piscataway, who through this game, became a champion in the sport and a champion for the people.

"My time on the field may be over, but I'll never stop fighting for the people."

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was keen to pay tribute to Jenkins, saying in a statement. "In so many ways, Malcolm Jenkins defined everything we want a Philadelphia Eagle to be.

"He was talented, intelligent, versatile, and reliable. He was physically and mentally tough. He led with his words, with his actions, with the emotion he took to the field, and with the professionalism he brought every single day to our building."

After six seasons with the Eagles, Jenkins returned to the Saints in 2020 for a second stint.

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen was also full of praise for the 34-year-old, saying: "I recall when we first drafted Malcolm in 2009, he made contributions to a Super Bowl Championship team in multiple positions in the secondary and then pretty quickly developed into an outstanding safety. 

"The combination of skill, awareness and intelligence allowed Malcolm to be in position to make plays all over the field. To put up the numbers he did for as long as he did speaks both to his talent and his commitment to his craft.

"He was also a great leader in the locker room and important contributor to the community. I'm proud to say that I had the opportunity to coach Malcolm and congratulate him on an excellent career."

Related items

  • Giants releasing embattled quarterback Daniel Jones Giants releasing embattled quarterback Daniel Jones

    The Daniel Jones era in New York has officially ended.

    The Giants agreed to Jones’ request to be released Friday morning, ending a rocky partnership that lasted nearly six seasons.

    Giants president John Mara said in a statement that Jones’ release “would be best for him and for the team.”

    “Daniel has been a great representative of our organisation, first class in every way,” Mara said in the statement. “His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out.”

    The Giants benched Jones in favour of Tommy DeVito during their bye week. On Thursday, Jones told reporters he takes “full responsibility” for not winning more as the captain of one of the NFL’s signature franchises.

    After learning of his new role, however, Jones asked the team to be released.

    Jones signed a four-year, $160million contract extension before the 2023 season. Jones will go through the waivers process, but teams are likely unwilling to pay the rest of that contract. If he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

    The Giants will absorb a salary cap hit of around $20million by releasing Jones.

    Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft and has started 69 games over the last six seasons.

    The former Duke quarterback had his best season in a contract year in 2022, throwing 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions and adding 708 yards and seven scores on the ground.

    Jones has thrown eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions this season for the 2-8 Giants and ranks 32nd among qualified quarterbacks with a 79.4 passer rating.

  • 'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David 'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David

    Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.

    David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.

    Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.

    And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.

    "We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.

    "Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us. 

    "Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League. 

    "You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."

    David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.

    Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

    The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.

    Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.

    "He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said. 

    "Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete. 

    "Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."

  • Browns score late touchdown to end Steelers' streak in snowy contest Browns score late touchdown to end Steelers' streak in snowy contest

    Nick Chubb ran for a 2-yard touchdown in heavy snow with 57 seconds left, and the Cleveland Browns stunned division rival Pittsburgh 24-19 on Thursday night, ending the Steelers' five-game winning streak.

    Chubb's score came in his first game against the AFC North-leading Steelers (8-3) since the running back sustained a season-ending left knee injury on a carry last year at Pittsburgh.

    The Browns (3-8) had blown a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and were down 19-18 before getting the ball back with 3:22 remaining after Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked a 16-yarder.

    With snow piling up and covering the yard lines on the field, Cleveland's Jameis Winston completed a third-down pass to Jerry Jeudy to the Pittsburgh 9. Two plays later, Chubb barrelled into the end zone.

    The Steelers had one last chance, but quarterback Russell Wilson's Hail Mary on the final play was knocked down by Browns safety Grant Delpit in the end zone, touching off a wild celebration at Huntington Bank Field.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.