Jenkins working to separate activism agenda from day job
PHILADELPHIA » Safety, cornerback, linebacker, Malcolm Jenkins was everywhere Monday night, registering a team-high 10 tackles to spark the Eagles to a win over the Redskins.
A few hours later he was in Harrisburg lobbying for the Clean Slate Act, which would seal criminal records for low-level crimes providing the person avoids further criminal behavior.
And it was back to work Wednesday as Jenkins and the hottest team in the NFL prepped for the San Francisco 49ers. It’s the life Jenkins chose. “It is taxing,” Jenkins said. “But it’s one of those things where when I’m here, I’m here. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I perform on the field. But I also want to make sure I do whatever I can to use my platform the right way.”
Jenkins had his moment of clarity in July. Make it moments. Two black men were shot dead by police on back-to-back days, Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minneapolis.
The shootings sparked national outrage. At an antiviolence rally protesting the deaths, five Dallas police officers were shot dead.
“It was kind of one of those things where it was, ‘OK, the hash-tagging and the videos is not going to get it done,’” Jenkins said. “How can we actually change this as opposed to everybody hiding behind social media?”
Slowly but surely, Jenkins threw himself into his mission to change social injustices as he does his higher profile job on Sundays.
Since July, Jenkins recalls getting together with the Philadelphia Police Department on at least three occasions, one a ride-along in which police responded to a shooting.
Jenkins visited Graterford Prison, met multiple times with grassroots organizations helping men and women transitioning from criminal institutions to understand their issues. Twice he went to Capitol Hill to speak his piece. There are too many panel discussions to list them all, including one at the last Super Bowl.
Jenkins was part of the NFL player coalition that two weeks ago met with owners to discuss the demonstrations during the national anthem. There are keynote speeches, a weekly op-ed column and letters to legislators.
Jenkins never imagined he would be so involved.
“Not when I started,” Jenkins said. “It has definitely accelerated. When I first decided to even get involved, I could feel in my spirit that this is a pivotal moment in time. And I feel it wasn’t wrong. It was for me personally but for society in general.”
The feedback from teammates has been good. Jenkins would be the first to tell you he couldn’t keep getting it done without Chris Long and Torrey Smith, who made that trip to Harrisburg, among other acts of assistance. Long donated his entire base salary this season to scholarships aimed at reducing educational inequity. Rodney McLeod also has aided Jenkins.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has been there, as well.
“Mr. Lurie has been very supportive in my efforts, especially off the field, and trying to find a way to help develop what we can do moving forward as a team,” Jenkins said.
Measuring the progress, however, isn’t easy. Unlike the NFL, political gains can take forever. The snail’s pace moved former Eagles great Jon Runyan to leave his congressional career in New Jersey behind in 2014 after two terms.
Jenkins has his fingers crossed that the Tuesday trip to Harrisburg with Smith and Long will eventually turn into a home run.
“Hopefully this bill that we’re trying to get pushed through, the Clean Slate Act, hopefully that will be done by the end of the year,” Jenkins said. “And hopefully we can really look at that as a huge victory for us as far as movement and showing that our efforts are working.”
The Clean Slate Act would allow courts to seal criminal records for minor crimes, providing the person doesn’t commit another crime. That would help create employment and educational opportunities for persons impacted.
Jenkins took the high road when asked about the ESPN report in which Houston owner Bob McNair made a controversial remark in an owner’s meeting, after which NFL front office employee Troy Vincent, the ex-Eagle, stood up and said he was offended by the remark. McNair later apologized.
McNair, reportedly part of a group with Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder and others who want a mandate that players stand for the national anthem, had used the expression, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” Jenkins hasn’t read the entire piece but was aware of that quote.
“Obviously his comments represent him,” Jenkins said. “But from a players standpoint we’re focused on our goals. We feel like we still have an opportunity to move forward with whoever’s interested in doing that, and to hopefully get that same type of commitment from those in league leadership.”
Those who detest the national anthem demonstrations, which in the case of Jenkins is a raised fist, will have to agree to disagree with the player, who just doesn’t see it that way.
November is Salute to Services month in the NFL.
“It’s never been about the military,” Jenkins said. “It’s never been about the flag. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive. You can continue to protest and draw awareness to social injustices while still honoring those who served for us.”
Jenkins activism obviously hasn’t hurt the performance of the Eagles. They’re 6-1 with a five-game winning streak and a lot of football ahead.
And what’s ahead for Jenkins, way down the road? A career in politics?
“I get that question a lot,” Jenkins said. “I don’t know. Right now I’m focusing on my career. I’m sure there’s a lot of people that want me to. We’ll see if the situation needs me.”