A longtime NFL safety is calling it a career. On Wednesday, Malcolm Jenkins announced his retirement from the NFL in an interview with Ryan Clark of ESPN. He spent a total of seven seasons with the New Orleans Saints and six with the Philadelphia Eagles, winning Super Bowls with both teams.
“I played the game at the highest level for 13 seasons,” Jenkins said to Clark on The Pivot podcast, per ESPN. “And I have accomplished Super Bowls, Pro Bowl, all that there is to do in this game. And when I came in, I always wanted to make an impact on the game on and off the field. And I just feel like at this point I’ve accomplished that.” Jenkins also announced his retirement on social media.
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“After 13 seasons, my time on the football field has come to an end,” Jenkins wrote on Instagram. “When I first picked up a football, I was just a kid from Piscataway, New Jersey. Never did I imagine how far this game would take me, the opportunities it would afford me, the platform it would give me, the growth it would facilitate, or the blessings it would allow me to grant others. I am so grateful to my parents for supporting me, my girls for loving me, my time at Ohio State for molding me, the Saints for believing in me, the Eagles for allowing me the space to emerge into the leader I am today, and every single fan who has shown up for me along the way.”
Jenkins was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Jenkins helped the team win their first Super Bowl by beating the Indianapolis Colts. He was named to the All-Pro Second Team in 2010 after posting 54 tackles, two interceptions and 12 passes defended with one touchdown. Jenkins was with the Saints for five seasons before signing a three-year, $16.25 million contract with the Philadephia Eagles.
In 2015, Jenkins was selected to the All-Pro First Team and his first Pro Bowl after tallying 109 tackles, two interceptions and 10 passes defended with one touchdown. Jenkins went on to be selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017 and 2018, and after the 2019 season, Jenkins returned to the Saints to finish his career in New Orleans. In his career, Jenkins posted 1,044 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 21 interceptions and eight defensive touchdowns.
