Kris Jenkins facts for kids
Jenkins with the New York Jets in 2009
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| No. 77 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | August 3, 1979 Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 360 lb (163 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Belleville (Belleville, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College: | Maryland | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 44 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Kristopher Blork Jenkins (born August 3, 1979) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was a star player for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.
Kris Jenkins was chosen by the Panthers in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was a very successful player, earning the title of All-Pro twice and being selected for the Pro Bowl four times. He played seven seasons with the Panthers before joining the Jets in 2008.
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College Football Career
Kris Jenkins played college football for the University of Maryland. He started in 27 of the 41 games he played. During his last year, he was named to the second-team All-ACC. He finished his college career with 9.5 sacks and 154 tackles.
Professional Football Career
Joining the NFL: 2001 Draft
In the 2001 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers picked Kris Jenkins in the second round. This was the start of his professional football journey.
Playing for the Carolina Panthers (2001–2007)
Kris Jenkins had a great year in 2002. He made 60 tackles and 7 sacks. He was chosen as an alternate for the NFC's Pro Bowl team. He got to play in the Pro Bowl when another player, Warren Sapp, was injured.
The next season, in 2003, Jenkins helped the Panthers reach Super Bowl XXXVIII. In one exciting game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he blocked two kicks. He blocked a field goal attempt and an extra point that would have won the game for the Buccaneers. His second block was special because it sent the game into overtime. The Panthers later won that game. Because of his amazing play, Jenkins was chosen to start in his first Pro Bowl.
However, Kris Jenkins faced some challenges with injuries. In the 2004 season, he hurt his shoulder in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had to miss the rest of that season. His injury problems continued in the first game of the 2005 season. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is a serious knee injury. This meant he had to miss another season.
Playing for the New York Jets (2008–2010)
On February 29, 2008, the Carolina Panthers traded Kris Jenkins to the New York Jets. The Panthers received draft picks in return. In his first season with the Jets, Jenkins played incredibly well. Many people thought he might win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award.
Unfortunately, injuries struck again. On October 18, 2009, Jenkins hurt his left knee during a game against the Buffalo Bills. The next day, it was confirmed that he had torn his ACL again, ending his season. In the first home game of the 2010 season, against the Baltimore Ravens, Jenkins twisted his leg while making a tackle. A few days later, an MRI showed that he had torn his ACL for a third time. This injury also ended his 2010 season.
The Jets decided to release Kris Jenkins on February 28, 2011.
Retirement from Football
On July 20, 2011, Kris Jenkins officially announced that he was retiring from professional football.
NFL Career Statistics
Regular Season Games
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Sfty | Int | Yds | Lng | TD | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |||
| 2001 | CAR | 16 | 11 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | CAR | 16 | 16 | 44 | 36 | 8 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | CAR | 16 | 16 | 46 | 39 | 7 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | CAR | 4 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | CAR | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | CAR | 16 | 16 | 41 | 32 | 9 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007 | CAR | 16 | 15 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 52 | 37 | 15 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | NYJ | 6 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | 108 | 102 | 282 | 220 | 62 | 24.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Kris Jenkins joined SNY. He became an analyst for the New York Jets. This meant he appeared on TV shows about the Jets, like pre-game and post-game shows.
Kris Jenkins has a younger brother named Cullen Jenkins, who also played as a defensive end in the NFL. Kris is also the father of Kris Jenkins Jr. Kris Jenkins Jr. was an All-American player at the University of Michigan. He was later drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
