Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins joins CNN as a contributor

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, lately of the Eagles, was hired by CNN as a contributor due to his social justice activism.

One member of the New Orleans Saints will be a prominent voice on television in the days ahead. Veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins was hired by CNN in a contributor role, as first reported by Variety.com’s Brian Steinberg. Jenkins has made guest appearances on the network in the past, speaking on his activism towards achieving social justice as a leader of the Players Coalition. Teammates like Demario Davis have also been featured in CNN’s coverage.

However, this isn’t a big career turn for Jenkins. Initially drafted by the Saints back in 2009, he helped win Super Bowl XLIV and spent six years with the Philadelphia Eagles before re-signing with New Orleans this offseason. His four-year contract is valued up to $35 million, though just over $16 million of it is guaranteed. That alone suggests the Saints will be the center of his attention for the foreseeable future.

Still, Jenkins is acutely aware that there are more important things in life than football. And he’s prepared to use his platform — and the one CNN has just given him — to advocate for issues important to him and the Black community.

“Now more than ever, the public needs to be educated on the roles of elected positions of power, such as the District Attorney, Police Chief or City Council and how to hold those individuals accountable, especially through their voice and their vote. In an important election year, I’m eager to join the CNN family and share my perspective as a regular contributor,” Jenkins told Steinberg.

Jenkins later addressed the news himself publicly, writing from his official Twitter account:

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