Malcolm Jenkins: 'Chip Kept Us Together'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Perception sometimes isn't reality.
As the Eagles were reeling in a three-game losing streak, there was no discord in the Eagles' locker room. There was certainly frustration as they saw their season possibly spiral out of control.
But there was no back sniping going on. It's a team that showed signs of splintering—yet didn't. A major reason why was Chip Kelly.
"It was rewarding to beat (New England on Sunday), considering the amount of doubt and negativity that was surrounding our building the last three weeks and something we had to fight to ignore," Eagles' veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins told CBSPhilly.com. "I think the message Chip gave us all week was that we are a good team. Chip reminded us who we are.
"He was showing us plays and showing us situations where we executed and made plays. He assured us we are a good football team—and he showed us why. We saw every guy on the team making huge plays, and if we could do this, nobody could beat us. It further sold the team on what Chip is teaching. Chip kept us together."
From the outside looking in, the general belief was that there was discord inside the NovaCare Complex. People would like to have heard discord. People would like to believe that there was discord—and many wished there was discord among the players and coaches.
Why? Controversy sells.
"Exactly," Jenkins said. "When I made the comments I made last week, people thought, 'That was it, Chip lost the team.' That wasn't it at all. I spoke to Chip every single day last week and not once did the whole media stuff come up. He relies on me to be a leader. We both know how we feel, and how we're both dedicated to this game. We know what is going on in (the NovaCare Complex). There is a lot of noise, distraction and calamity outside this building. Inside, we just keep grinding. Everyone believes in each other. We know what is said outside this building doesn't have much truth to it and none of it really matters."
Jenkins is as old school as it gets. His father, Lee, was demanding and a major reason why Malcolm is in the NFL today. Lee would drive throughout their Piscataway, N.J. neighborhood picking up the area kids for youth football. Lee's drive translated to Malcolm.
Ever see Malcolm Jenkins at a summer football camp for kids? He has more fun than the kids do, running up and down the field, coaching them up and challenging the other NFL campers that his group is better than theirs.
He's relentless. Like Lee was. He's a player who throughout his life loved it when coaches would get after him for making a mistake—though how rare they were. That's how you learn.
"I've been one of Chip's biggest supporters since I've been here and I still am," Jenkins said. "I'm honest in what I say. Personally, I like to be coached hard. If I'm doing something that's hurting the team that needs to be addressed, nothing will make me respond more than letting the team know where I'm hurting the team. I want that feedback. From everyone. That's all.
"That has nothing to do with the coaches. The players were messing this up. We looked at what we're doing and we were beating ourselves over the last three weeks. We know it. We're the ones that have to get it corrected. We all have to fix it together."
Jenkins wants to win so badly that he's approached Kelly numerous times about playing wide receiver. He said he doesn't need to know the whole receiver tree, just dabble here and there.
Jenkins, a three-time state champion at Piscataway High School, was a dual threat as a wide receiver and defensive back before going to Ohio State, where he played cornerback.
"I want that chance," said Jenkins, laughing. "I would love to play receiver. I'm always asking Chip. He just laughs. Maybe I helped myself with that (99-yard pick six). Just one or two plays. That's all I want. Hey, Tom Brady caught a pass. I'm faster than him."
