Mike Jenkins (born March 22, 1985) is a former
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
-born
American professional
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
. He played
college football for the
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...
and was recognized as an
All-American. He was selected by the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
in the first round of the
2008 NFL Draft. He has also played for the
Oakland Raiders,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, and
Arizona Cardinals.
Early years
Jenkins was born in
Neuenburg am Rhein
Neuenburg am Rhein ( High Alemannic: ''Neiburg am Rhi'') is a town in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.
Geography
Geographical location
Neuenburg is elevated on the right bank of the Altrhein on a ...
,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
,
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
;
his mother was a computer operator with the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
stationed in West Germany and left the Army when Jenkins was five. Jenkins's mother separated from his father in 1990, moved to
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, and divorced in 1995, when he was ten.
Jenkins played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
as a
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly dif ...
and
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Ther ...
at
Southeast High School, receiving Class 3A all-state and Sarasota Herald-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also lettered in
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
.
College career
While attending the
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...
, Jenkins played for the
South Florida Bulls football team and also ran
track. He became a starter as a sophomore, registering 38 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defensed, and 2 forced fumbles. The next year, he recorded 27 tackles, 15 passes defensed, one interception and was named second-team
Big East
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
.
In 2007, he finished with career-highs in tackles (41), interceptions (3), tackles for loss (4) and passes defensed (16). He was a first-team
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
selection and received first-team
All-American honors from the
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...
.
He finished his college career with 133 tackles (6 for loss), a school-record 47 passes defensed, 6 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles. He was also a kickoff returner, scoring on a 100-yard return as a senior.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
2008 season
The
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
traded up with the
Seattle Seahawks moving from the 28th to the 25th position, in exchange for a fifth ((#163-
Owen Schmitt) and seventh ((#235-
Brandon Coutu) round draft choices, in order to select Jenkins in the first round of the
2008 NFL Draft. On July 26, he signed a $9.725 million contract with $6.75 million guaranteed, including a $3.1 million signing bonus.
He was used mainly as a
slot cornerback, starting 3 of his 14 games played. He finished the season with 22 tackles (17 solo), 6 passes defensed and one interception (returned for a
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
).
2009 season
In
2009, Jenkins and fellow
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
Orlando Scandrick
Orlando Lee Scandrick (born February 10, 1987) is an American sports commentator and former American football cornerback. He played college football at Boise State University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2008 ...
competed in training camp and in the beginning of the regular season for the starter position. In week 3 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
he registered an interception, which helped him earn the starting job over Scandrick who focused on the
slot corner position. He also established himself as a coverage corner by intercepting three passes in his first few starts. In a playoff loss to the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, he was ineffective on two plays, allowing
wide receiver Sidney Rice to score 2
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s.
Jenkins finished the
2009 seasons with 5 interceptions (tied for 12th in the
NFL), 23 passes defensed, 49 total tackles and was selected as an alternate to the
2009 Pro Bowl. He moved to the official line-up on January 25, 2010 when
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
cornerback
Antoine Winfield withdrew due to injury.
2010 season
Jenkins recorded 55 total tackles, 15 passes defensed (led the team), 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception, while starting every game of the season.
2011 season
Jenkins suffered a neck stinger in training camp and missed the entire
2011 preseason. He came back from the injury and started 12 games for the Cowboys (missing 4 games with a hamstring injury), including the first 7 games, in an injury-plagued season. Jenkins fought through several injuries, including a hamstring strain, a sore shoulder and knee and a dislocated right shoulder that required off-season surgery. Overcoming the injuries, Jenkins managed to have a solid season recording 22 tackles, 10 passes defensed (led the team) and 1 interception. By fighting through injuries, he displayed toughness that had been called into question by fans and media in past seasons.
2012 season
Entering the final year of Jenkins's rookie contract (which paid him around $1.05 million), the Dallas Cowboys drafted cornerback,
Morris Claiborne
Morris Lee Claiborne (born February 7, 1990) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in the country and was unanimous ...
, with the 6th overall pick in the
2012 NFL Draft. The presence of Claiborne added yet another talented defensive back for the Cowboys with newly signed
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
Brandon Carr
Brandon Carey Carr (born May 19, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He last played for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Grand Valley State and was drafted by the Kansas City Ch ...
and veteran
Orlando Scandrick
Orlando Lee Scandrick (born February 10, 1987) is an American sports commentator and former American football cornerback. He played college football at Boise State University and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2008 ...
. The Cowboys selecting Claiborne sparked immediate media speculation as to his future with the team, since Scandrick had also received a contract extension and Jenkins was on the final year of his contract.
He skipped the voluntary 2012 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) while rehabbing from shoulder surgery allegedly because he was unhappy with his current contract and his place on the team's depth chart.
Jenkins was supposedly hopeful he would be traded from the Cowboys and the
Indianapolis Colts allegedly showed interest in him. The Dallas Cowboys' management repeatedly stated publicly they would not trade Jenkins and allegedly turned down several offers.
In the first day of training camp, Jenkins clarified that he did not ask the Cowboys to be traded.
Because of his contract dispute, he decided to rehab his injured right shoulder outside of the team's training facilities, which delayed his recovery time, forcing him to miss all of the 2012 off-season and preseason action. Jenkins was cleared to practice by his doctor about a week before the season opener and lost his starter job to Claiborne. He played in 13 games (2 starts), and recorded 14 tackles (10 solo) and 3 passes defensed. At the end of the season, the team did not offer Jenkins a second contract because of the investment they made in Claiborne and Carr.
Oakland Raiders
2013 season
He signed a one-year contract with the
Oakland Raiders on April 8,
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
, after not receiving the kind of deal he was expecting. He was named the starter at
left cornerback and compiled 15 starts (missed one game with a hamstring injury), 75 tackles, 8 passes defensed, and 2 interceptions (tied for the team lead).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014 season
Jenkins signed as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
on March 20,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
. The deal was a one-year contract worth up to $1.5 million. He suffered a
pectoral
Pectoral may refer to:
* The chest region and anything relating to it.
* Pectoral cross, a cross worn on the chest
* a decorative, usually jeweled version of a gorget
* Pectoral (Ancient Egypt), a type of jewelry worn in ancient Egypt
* Pectorali ...
strain on opening day against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
and was placed on the
injured reserve list
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
on September 10, 2014. He appeared in only one game during his first season in Tampa Bay.
2015 season
On March 5, 2015, Jenkins signed a one-year, $825,000 contract offer to remain with the Buccaneers, allowing him to return to compete to be a starter against
Alterraun Verner
Alterraun Ennis Verner (born December 13, 1988) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2010 ...
and
Johnthan Banks. He appeared in 14 games (5 starts), finishing with 17 total tackles and 5 pass deflections in 14 games. He was not re-signed after the season.
Arizona Cardinals
2016 season
On July 19, 2016, Jenkins signed with the
Arizona Cardinals. On August 29, 2016 Jenkins tore his ACL in
preseason gameagainst the
Houston Texans and was placed on injured reserve. He was in the mix for Arizona's starting cornerback job opposite of
Patrick Peterson
Patrick De'mon Peterson Jr. (born July 11, 1990) is an American football cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensiv ...
before the injury.
NFL career statistics
References
External links
Tampa Bay Buccaneers bioSouth Florida Bulls bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Mike
1985 births
Living people
American football cornerbacks
Arizona Cardinals players
Coffeyville Red Ravens football players
Dallas Cowboys players
German players of American football
National Conference Pro Bowl players
Oakland Raiders players
People from Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald
Sportspeople from Freiburg (region)
Players of American football from Florida
South Florida Bulls football players
Sportspeople from Bradenton, Florida
Tampa Bay Buccaneers players