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."
LATEST STORIES
Olympic gold medalist Roje Stona among athletes invited to NFL International Player Pathway Programme
- 2024-12-09 10:19:25
- Hits 372
Bill Belichick reportedly to coach the University of North Carolina
- 2024-12-11 18:31:16
- Hits 79