Category: Malcolm Jenkins

Malcolm Jenkins’ clutch fumble recovery in 2010 is the Saints Play of Day 47

Malcolm Jenkins came through in a big spot on Thanksgiving Day. His strip-fumble against Cowboys WR Roy Williams in 2010 is our Saints Play of the Day:

Shout out to Malcolm Jenkins for some of the greatest hustle plays in New Orleans Saints history. The Dallas Cowboys gained 47 yards on this grab-and-go pass from Jon Kitna to Roy Williams back in 2010, but Jenkins saved a touchdown — and likely the win — by hurrying to make a play in a gotta-have-it situation on Thanksgiving Day. That makes it our Saints Play of the Day as we count down to kickoff, with 47 days to go until the Saints host the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.

The Saints were trailing 27-23 late in the fourth quarter when Williams found space in the Saints secondary; Kitna threw a dart, and then it was off to the races. Williams had a step on Tracy Porter but Jenkins closed the gap quickly, meeting the Cowboys receiver at the New Orleans 11-yard line. A tackle would’ve been enough, but Jenkins did even more. He stripped the ball from Williams’ hands and recovered the fumble in one of the biggest plays of the season.

And Drew Brees didn’t waste that opportunity. He got out of the Saints’ own red zone with a 22-yard pass to Marques Colston, and then flipped the field on an impressive 55-yard lob to Robert Meachem. Lance Moore caught his next pass, scoring the go-ahead touchdown, and the Saints never looked back. Dallas’ final possession ended with a missed field goal from 59 yards, and then all it took was for Brees to kneel out the clock.

But things could have gone very differently if Jenkins didn’t wrestle the ball out of Williams’ hands. If he had scored or even set up the Cowboys offense to drain the clock themselves, New Orleans probably doesn’t win this one. That Jenkins came through in such a big spot with all of America watching is commendable.

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Every move the Saints have made so far this offseason

Free agency may have been relatively quiet for the New Orleans Saints, but the offseason has been busy. Here is every move the Saints have made so far this offseason, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

While the free agency period has been a relatively quiet one, the offseason  as a whole has been very eventful for the New Orleans Saints. Welcoming in a new but familiar regime at head coach and defensive coordinator, overhauling areas of the coaching staff, and turning to new approach in the strength and conditioning apartment was just the start.

While free agency hasn’t been as exciting as fans may have hoped, the team has worked to fill holes lost on the defensive side with the departures of safeties Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins. While there is still work to do there and on the offensive side of the ball, the offseason looks to be picking up for the Saints as of late.

As that momentum builds and New Orleans begins their offseason program, here is every move the Saints have made so far.

Looking back on Malcolm Jenkins’ storied Saints career

Staff picks: Looking back on the best highlights, moments, and memories from Malcolm Jenkins’ storied Saints career

Here’s to Malcolm Jenkins. The forever-underrated safety returned to finish his career where it began with the New Orleans Saints, having taken a long detour with the Philadelphia Eagles to play his best football, and now he’s choosing to step away from the game in good health with a wide range of business opportunities as an entrepreneur. And he’s making that decision with the knowledge that he’s created so many great memories for two different fanbases.

Jenkins is going out on his own terms, and he’s got an impressive career to look back on. He’s the only player in NFL history to defeat both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. He once intercepted Brady and returned the ball 100 yards for a defensive touchdown. His leadership away from the field has drawn other players to use their platform for activism in their communities. When it’s all said in done, both the Saints and the Eagles are going to honor him in their team Hall of Fame. Not many guys can claim that.

The Saints Wire staff got together and shared our favorite memories and anecdotes from Jenkins’ time in the NFL, especially his Saints career. Here is what we’re remembering best from his days in black and gold as Jenkins moves onto the next chapter in his life:

5 ways the Saints can try to replace Malcolm Jenkins

Replacing Malcolm Jenkins is a tall task, but here are five ways the New Orleans Saints can try it, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

How do you replace the player that led your team in defensive snaps a year ago? We’re about to find out as the New Orleans Saints are now charged with that task as two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins has announced his retirement. This happens in the same offseason that New Orleans must also replace their second-leading defensive snap-getter in Marcus Williams.

That leaves the Saints in a precarious position at safety, though newly-signed Marcus Maye should fill Williams’s role well. (Worth mentioning he may miss some time to start the season following a 2021 DUI arrest.) But replacing Jenkins, one of the NFL’s ironmen and highly-respected team leader, is going to be a tall task. Here are five ways the Saints can try to make up for the loss.

Malcolm Jenkins retires from football as a true NFL ironman

After 13 remarkable seasons in the NFL, New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins retires as one of the NFL’s true ironmen, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

After 13 seasons in the NFL, three Pro Bowls and a pair of Super Bowl championships, safety Malcolm Jenkins told ESPN’s Ryan Clark that he’ll be retiring ahead of the 2022 season. Jenkins was drafted by the Saints in 2009, helping the franchise hoist its first Lombardi Trophy his rookie year. After five years in New Orleans, Jenkins signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency where he was a part of another Super Bowl win and was selected to his three Pro Bowls.

After his departure to Philadelphia, then-head coach Sean Payton remarked that losing Jenkins was one of the “biggest mistakes” the team had made. One year after Payton said that to Philadelphia reporters, he made up for it by bringing Jenkins back to New Orleans. The former first-round draft pick returned to his home NFL team for the last two seasons of his career and continued his high level of play at 33 and 34 years old.

This retirement was signaled a bit early after Jenkins took a pay cut in the final two years of his deal. He agreed to drop his salary in both seasons to the league minimum without any restructure or return of any kind. Drew Brees did something similar ahead of the 2020 season before his retirement was made official, so we knew this was coming.

Jenkins will be remembered as one of the best safeties to play for both franchises along with names like Brian Dawkins and Sammy Knight. He’ll also be celebrated for his ironman streaks. Jenkins didn’t miss a single snap in a three-year span, including the postseason, totaling 2,651 consecutive defensive snaps played. He also saw his streak of 133-straight games started come to an end thanks to last year’s COVID outbreak.

Jenkins will finish his career with 1,044 combined tackles, 21 interceptions, 13.5 sacks, and 8 touchdowns scored in 199 games played. He’ll also finished his career ranked second in franchise history for both the Saints and Eagles in defensive touchdowns. Despite playing his final season at 34 years old, he led the Saints in defensive snaps in 2021, what will be his final season in the NFL.

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2-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins announces his retirement from the NFL

2-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins announces his retirement from the NFL

Wow: New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins announced Wednesday that he is retiring from pro football on his own terms, sharing the news on the Pivot podcast with. Jenkins, 34, won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints and earned another championship in Super Bowl LII with the Philadelphia Eagles before returning to where his career started.

It makes sense for him. Jenkins is stepping away from football in great health and with a wide variety of other business interests to pursue as an investor and entrepreneur. Not many guys get to choose their opportunity like this.

But for the Saints, this opens a tremendous vacancy in their secondary — Jenkins led the team in defense snaps played last season. His teammate, Marcus Williams, ranked third. The team explicitly hired Dennis Allen to maintain defensive continuity. That’s going to be tough with two of his three top players leaving the building.

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Malcolm Jenkins on Saints leadership stepping up without Drew Brees

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins joined the Rich Eisen Show to discuss the team’s quarterbacks battle and life without Drew Brees.

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Drew Brees has led the New Orleans Saints for a long, long time. So long that Malcolm Jenkins was drafted by the Saints, played out his rookie contract with them, and spent six years with the Philadelphia Eagles before returning for Brees’ last season in the NFL. Now that No. 9 is officially, formally retired from the sport, it’s up to Jenkins and the other team captains to weather the storm.

Jenkins spoke about the changes during a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show — or, well, how the Saints’ veteran leaders are ensuring there aren’t many big changes. While the team has organized work in the classrooms and weight room at the Saints practice facility, players like Jenkins have taken the initiative to hold workouts independently — and, most importantly, making sure no one gets hurt.

Still, it’s going to be different without Brees, who has been Jenkins’ quarterback in both of his stints with New Orleans. Like everyone else, he’s intrigued to see how the competition between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill shakes out, but he’s confident the Saints have enough experienced hands on deck to keep the ship afloat.

“I think everybody’s looking to see how the leaders emerge, especially at the quarterback position. To see Jameis and Taysom really step into their own personalities now, not being behind Drew. And obviously myself, Cam Jordan, Demario Davis, guys who have been veterans on this team, kind of molding those younger guys.”

He also made it clear that both quarterbacks have a real shot at winning the starting job: “I think you see two guys who really respect each other, who really respect the process, and want to do what’s best for the team. Obviously last year Taysom filled in and had some success, and Jameis is also accomplished in this league. And so it’s one of those things where they’re working together, and it’s also a competition, and it’s going to make our team better.”

It’s a good listen — Jenkins also talked about the challenges NFL teams are facing now that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, but not required for players to receive ahead of the 2021 season, leading to debates in locker rooms and on the airwaves and a more hands-off approach to the offseason. Expect that storyline to continue to hang over the NFL as its calendar inches towards training camp.

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Self-described Eagles fan Malcolm Jenkins on looming rebuild, QB controversy

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins spoke on the Philadelphia Eagles rebuild, Nick Sirianni, and the QB controversy on Carson Wentz.

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Malcolm Jenkins has returned to the New Orleans Saints, the team that brought him into the NFL way back in 2009, but the Philadelphia Eagles still have a special place in his heart. That’s the team where he grew into his best self, both as a player and as a leader in the locker room and in the community. It’s where he won his second Super Bowl title.

So he’s as bummed as anyone to see the state of the Eagles now. Championship-winning coach Doug Pederson is out of the picture after a power struggle with the front office and a breakdown with Carson Wentz, Philadelphia’s handpicked franchise quarterback whose contract carries $59 million in dead money this offseason. Wentz himself is being pressed for the starting gig after Jalen Hurts outplayed him late in the 2020 season (having introduced himself to the NFL by upsetting Jenkins’ Saints, of course).

During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Jenkins shared his perspective on the Eagles rebuild and what challenges are in store for them.

“They got a situation where, obviously, they were all-in with Carson Wentz this year. A lot of money invested into him. And then they had Jalen Hurts come in and really take command of the offense, ignite a little bit of juice into the team, and that’s not the first that’s happened in Philly,” Jenkins said, referring to Nick Foles’ Super Bowl run that ended with a bronze statue of him standing outside the team’s stadium. He added: “It’s one of those things where, something has to change, whether that onus is on the coaching staff or you put that onus on the players who are there.”

Eagles ownership decided that onus was on the coaches; Pederson was fired and replaced by first-year coach Nick Sirianni, the former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator. While Jenkins is optimistic Sirianni and his new staff can turn things around, he’s looking for changes from Wentz to ultimately decide where the Eagles go from here.

He continued, “Some of the other issues that I felt when I was in the locker was that there was just too much leeway, and it didn’t make him a better player. I don’t think they did him any favors by trying to protect his ego or protect him as a player, as opposed to — as with every other player — keeping it performance-based and really being real about what he needs to improve on. But also adjusting to put him in places that can make him successful. And that’s a little on the coaching staff, and a little onus on the player.”

Jenkins went on to point to the work players put in away from the facility, during the offseason, noting that repeating the same process and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. The way he sees it, at the end of the day, hope for improvement from Wentz  is going to fall on No. 11’s shoulders: “Regardless of who they bring in to coach him, he’s still gonna have to improve as a player in order for that team to have success.”

He’ll get a first-row seat to find out if things are different in 2021. The Saints are scheduled to make another road trip to Lincoln Financial Field next season after drawing the NFC East, having last hosted the Eagles in that rotation in 2018 (the 2020 meeting was due to both teams winning their divisions the year before). Maybe things go differently for Jenkins and the Saints this time around after last year’s 24-21 loss.

Malcolm Jenkins downplays Michael Thomas drama: ‘We know where his heart is’

New Orleans Saints captain Malcolm Jenkins downplayed the drama surrounding wide receiver Michael Thomas, who was suspended after a fight.

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Malcolm Jenkins was one of the highest-graded New Orleans Saints players in Monday night’s big win over the Los Angeles Chargers; Pro Football Focus credited him with 3 quarterback pressures, 2 stops in run defense, and just 7 yards allowed in coverage. The first-year captain has been an important source of splash plays and veteran leadership on a defense that’s badly needed both.

But the big storyline this week has been the one-game suspension for star wide receiver Michael Thomas, which Jenkins discussed on the “Tiki and Tierney Show” on CBS Sports Radio. When asked if the incident has put a wall between Thomas and his Saints teammates, Jenkins shut down the notion.

“No, not from my seat,” Jenkins said, via Rod Walker of Nola.com. “Everybody knows we’re all highly competitive athletes and Michael is always on edge and plays with that chip on his shoulder. But, all of us need to know where those lines are that we can’t cross.”

That last comment referred to an exchange between Thomas and members of the coaching staff after he was separated from a fight with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Several reports suggested that parting shot played a bigger role in Thomas being benched for the prime-time Chargers game than the scrap itself; frustrations often boil over in practice and sometimes punches get thrown, which Jenkins noted isn’t unusual. So maybe this is a learning experience for his younger teammate.

Jenkins continued, “One mistake doesn’t change how we feel about our teammate. We know where his heart is.”

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PFF charted Malcolm Jenkins from 5 different alignments in Week 1

The analysts at Pro Football Focus charted New Orleans Saints DB Malcolm Jenkins as playing five different positions against the Buccaneers.

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Malcolm Jenkins was one of a handful of New Orelans Saints starters to stay on the field for all 70 defensive snaps against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he turned in some impressive tape in his first game back in black and gold after six years with the Philadelphia Eagles. While he may be listed as a strong safety, he really plays a brand of positionless football more like what you’d expect to see from Tyrann Mathieu, Jamal Adams, or another one of the young stars making a name for themselves.

Pro Football Focus took notice, grading Jenkins with a top-two rating in every category for New Orleans: run defense (70.9), pass rushing (82.5), and pass coverage (68.5), as well as overall defense (76.9). That’s a great return on investment for the priciest Saints free agent acquisition. Here’s what PFF analyst Sam Monson had to say of Jenkins’ second Saints debut:

Malcolm Jenkins’ triumphant return to New Orleans couldn’t have got off to a better start. Jenkins was used all over the Saints’ defense and had an impact in seemingly every role. He spent snaps as a deep-lying free safety (22) in the box (20), crowding the line of scrimmage as a threat to blitz (17), covering the slot (7) and even split wide as a perimeter corner to match up with Bucs’ receivers (4). He even played special teams to add to his contributions. Jenkins had two total pressures from six pass-rushing snaps on the blitz, recorded two defensive stops and didn’t give up a catch during the game as the Saints defense frustrated Tom Brady and the Bucs.

And here’s a simple pie chart reflecting all the different alignments Jenkins saw against Tampa Bay:

That versatility explains why the Saints were so eager to bring Jenkins back into the fold after letting him walk away back in 2013. He developed into a great player with a well-rounded skills set in Philadelphia, and his ability to wear so many hats was on full display. Being able to ask him to switch spots from one play to the next relieves a lot of pressure from other players, and we should expect to see more of this as the season continues.

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