Sport: Football
Born: December 20, 1987
Town: Piscataway, New Jersey
Malcolm Jenkins was born December 20, 1987 in East Orange and grew up in Piscataway, NJ. Strong and swift, Malcolm gravitated toward football and track as a teenager. HIs father, Lee, constantly underscored the importance of dedication and focus, as well as learning from mistakes. He often drove Malcolm and his friends to youth-football practice.
Malcolm played wide receiver and defensive back for Piscataway Township High School, The Chiefs featured several future NFL players, including Kyle Wilson, Dwayne Gratz and Anthony Davis. Malcolm was a member of three state champion teams, in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He also ran track in the spring and was the 2004 state champion in the 400 meters as a junior.
Malcolm drew interest from a handful of top college football programs. He accepted a scholarship from Ohio State and saw lots of action as a freshman. Malcolm started at cornerback as a sophomore and was named first-team All-Big 10 his next three seasons. The Buckeyes went 43–8 in his four years on the varsity, and made it to the BCS Championship game his sophomore and junior years (losing both times). Ohio State was a Top 10 team every year Malcolm played.
Malcolm finished his college career by winning the 2008 Jim Thorpe Award as the NCAA’s best defensive back. He’d been a semifinalist the year before and was just the second Buckeye to take home the trophy.
As the 2009 NFL Draft approached, most teams were looking at Malcolm as a safety. He was a half-step slow to be a shutdown cornerback. The New Orleans Saints took him with the 14th pick in the first round. Malcolm earned more and more playing time as his rookie season progressed. Meanwhile, the Saints won the NFC Championship and went on to defeat the Colts in the Super Bowl. Malcolm had five tackles against Indianapolis.
In 2010, Malcolm started at free safety when Darren Sharper missed the first half of the season with knee problems. He made a game-changing tackle against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Malcolm earned the award again two weeks later and scored his first NFL touchdown when he returned an interception 96 yards against the Rams.
Malcolm played for the Saints through the 2013 season. In five years with the team, he forced 6 fumbles, intercepted 6 passes and had over 350 tackles. In 2014, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent. Playing free safety, he had a career-best 3 interceptions his first year, returning one for a touchdown. In 2015, Malcolm was hailed by many as the best safety in the NFC. He won another Defensive Player of the Week Award when he picked off Tom Brady in front of the goal line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, helping the Eagles upset New England, 35–28. Malcolm finished the season with a team-best 109 tackles.
Malcolm continued to deliver standout seasons for the Eagles. In 2016, after a switch to strong safety, he picked off three passes and returned two for touchdowns. In 2017 and 2018, he made the Pro Bowl again after returning to free safety. The 2017 season saw the Eagles beat the Falcons and Vikings in the playoffs and the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Malcolm was on the field for every defensive snap in the postseason and recorded 13 solo tackles. He is the only player who can claim to have beaten Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in a Super Bowl.
In 2018, Malcolm was credited with 97 tackles, which tied with Nigel Bradham for the team lead. In 2019, Malcom was a star in the epic playoff battle against the Seahawks, which the Eagles lost, 17–9. He made a combined 9 tackles and sacked Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter to kill a drive and keep Philly in the game.
Following 2019, after six years in Philadelphia, Malcolm returned to the New Orleans Saints on a free agent contract. He tied his career best with 3 interceptions in 2020, helping the Saints win the NFC South. In 2021, Malcolm played his final season, starting 16 games and picking off the 21st pass of his career.