View source for Michael Jenkins (wide receiver)

{{Short description|American football player (born 1982)}}
{{distinguish|Michael Jenkins (running back)|Mike Jenkins (American football)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       = Michael Jenkins 2006-11-19.jpg
| caption     = Jenkins with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006
| name        = Michael Jenkins
| number      = 12, 84
| position    = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1982|6|18}}
| birth_place = [[Tampa, Florida]], U.S.
| death_date  =
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 4
| weight_lbs  = 214
| high_school = [[A. P. Leto High School|A. P. Leto]] (Tampa, Florida)
| college     = [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] (2000–2003)
| draftyear   = 2004
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 29
| pastteams   =
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|2004}}–{{NFL Year|2010}})
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|2011}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})
* [[New England Patriots]] ({{NFL Year|2013}})*
| highlights  =
* [[BCS national champion]] ([[2003 Fiesta Bowl|2002]])
* Second-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[2002 All-Big Ten Conference football team|2002]])
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (American football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 354
| statlabel2  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 4,827
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdowns|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 25
| pfr         = J/JenkMi00 
}}

'''Michael Gerard Jenkins''' (born June 18, 1982) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[wide receiver]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was selected in the first round of the [[2004 NFL draft]] by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] and also played for the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2004/draft.htm |title=2004 NFL Draft Listing |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=2023-05-06}}</ref> He played [[college football]] at [[Ohio State University]].

==Early life==
Jenkins attended [[A. P. Leto High School|A.P. Leto High School]] in Tampa, Florida where he was a record-breaking track star. He received many awards for his outstanding athletic performance, stellar academic achievement, and school leadership.

==College career==
Jenkins became a three-year starter for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes]], starting 38 of his final 39 games, he caught 165 passes for 2,898 yards with a 17.6 average, and scored 16 touchdowns in his career.  He finished his career with at least one reception in 38 consecutive games and helped the Buckeyes capture the [[2002 NCAA Division I-A football season|2002]] [[BCS National Championship]] at the [[2003 Fiesta Bowl]].

His 2,898 yards rank eighth on the [[Big Ten Conference]] career-record list, while also topping the previous school career-record of 2,855 by [[David Boston]]. Jenkins earned an All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention as a senior after leading the team with 55 receptions for 834 yards with a 15.2 average and 7 touchdowns while adding 178 yards and a touchdown on 20 punt returns. He was also an All-Big Ten Conference second-team choice as a junior after leading the team with a career-high 61 receptions for 1,076 yards (17.6 average) and 6 touchdowns.

During the 2002 Ohio State National championship season, Jenkins made one of the biggest and most memorable catches in Buckeye history, the "[[Holy Buckeye]]" play at Purdue.  In the first overtime period of Ohio State's victory in the 2002 BCS National Championship game over the Miami Hurricanes, Jenkins caught a pass on 4th and 14 from Craig Krenzel that gave the Buckeyes a first down and eventually allowed the Buckeyes to prevail 31–24 in two overtimes.

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 4 1/2
|       weight = 218
|         dash = 4.38
|      shuttle = 4.31
|   cone drill = 6.95
|     vertical = 34.0
|     broad ft = 10
|     broad in = 6
|     arm span = 32 5/8
|    hand span = 10
|         note = Sources:<ref>[http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2004/04/20/2/ Packers.com » News » Stories » April 20, 2004: Gil Brandt's NFL Draft Analysis By Position: Wide Receivers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115342/http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2004/04/20/2/ |date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=925&DraftYear=2004 |title=2004 NFL Draft Scout Michael Jenkins College Football Profile |access-date=June 22, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref>
}}

===Atlanta Falcons===
====2004 season====
Jenkins played in all 16 games of his rookie season, recording seven receptions for 119 yards. His 17.0 average led the team and his eight special teams tackles ranked fourth. He made his first NFL reception for 46 yards against the [[Denver Broncos]].

====2005 season====
With the slump and eventual release of wide receiver [[Peerless Price]], the Falcons turned to Jenkins to start. Although Falcons [[quarterback]] [[Michael Vick]] turned to him more often, Jenkins was not a gigantic factor in the Falcons' less-than-stellar offense for the 2005 season. He played in 14 games and started 12 of them after Price left for the [[Dallas Cowboys]]. Jenkins made his first career start against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], leading the team with three grabs for 80 yards. He improved from his rookie season, catching 38 passes for 506 yards. He also caught three touchdowns, the first against the ailing [[Buffalo Bills]].

====2006 season====
Jenkins started all 16 games for the first time in his career and registered 436 receiving yards on a then career-high 39 catches with a career-high seven touchdowns. He led the team with 77 receiving yards on 3 receptions (25.7 average), including a 34-yard touchdown catch in the season opener against the [[Carolina Panthers]].

====2007 season====
Jenkins had 53 receptions for 532 yards and four touchdowns in his fourth year with the team. He tallied a season-high 76 receiving yards on six receptions against the [[Carolina Panthers]] and posted six catches for 64 yards with a career-high two touchdowns against the [[Houston Texans]]. Jenkins reached a career-high nine receptions for a team-high 73 yards against the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], and tied a career-high with nine grabs for a career-high 83 yards against the [[New Orleans Saints]].

====2008 season====
[[File:Asomugha covers Jenkins at Falcons at Raiders 11-2-08.JPG|thumb|Jenkins is matched up against [[Oakland Raiders]] cornerback [[Nnamdi Asomugha]] at a Falcons away game on November 2, 2008.]]

Jenkins caught the first pass of rookie quarterback [[Matt Ryan (American football)|Matt Ryan]]'s NFL career and took it for a 62-yard touchdown against the [[2008 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]]. Jenkins caught a pass and ran out of bounds, stopping the clock with 1 second left and allowing [[Jason Elam]] to successfully convert a 48-yard field goal to defeat the [[2008 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] during their week 6 game.

Jenkins set a new career high in receiving yards in 2008 with 777.

====2009 season====
Jenkins started for the Falcons in 2009. He finished the season with 50 receptions, 635 yards, and a touchdown.

====2010 season====
After suffering an injury in an offseason team scrimmage, Michael Jenkins would miss 4 to 6 weeks. As a result, Jenkins started just 9 regular season games for the [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|Falcons in 2010]], finishing with 41 receptions for 505 yards and 2 touchdown receptions. Atlanta finished with the best record in the NFC at 13–3, but the Falcons were upset by the eventual [[Super Bowl]] Champion [[2010 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] in the Divisional Playoffs. In the 48–21 loss to Green Bay, Jenkins recorded 6 receptions for 67 yards.

====2011 season====
On July 29, 2011, Jenkins was released by the Atlanta Falcons.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ledbetter|first=D. Orlando|title=Falcons release former first-rounders Anderson, Jenkins|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2011/07/29/falcons-release-former-first-rounders-anderson-jenkins/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_falcons_blog|work=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=July 29, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023082807/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2011/07/29/falcons-release-former-first-rounders-anderson-jenkins/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_falcons_blog|archive-date=October 23, 2012}}</ref> A day later, he signed with the [[Minnesota Vikings]].

He was placed on [[injured reserve]] on November 29, 2011. He caught 38 passes for 466 yards and scored three touchdowns during the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Jenkins 2011 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JenkMi00/gamelog/2011/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Minnesota Vikings===
Jenkins was signed by the Vikings for a 3-year contract. In week 7 of that year, Jenkins caught a 72-yard pass on the first play of the game, only to be tackled at the 1 yard line.
Jenkins had 38 receptions for 466 yards that season. The Vikings would go on to tie the worst season in franchise history, with a 3–13 record.

====2012 season and playoffs====
Jenkins returned with the Vikings in 2012. Minnesota was 9–6 in week 17 and had to beat the Green Bay Packers to advance to the playoffs. Jenkins caught a diving touchdown in the 4th quarter that gave the Vikings the lead. The Vikings would go on to win that game 37–34, only to lose to the Packers in the first round of playoffs the following week.

On March 4, 2013, Jenkins was released by the Vikings.<ref>{{cite web | last=Hanzus |first=Dan |title=Michael Jenkins cut by Minnesota Vikings in cap move |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/michael-jenkins-cut-by-minnesota-vikings-in-cap-move-0ap1000000146869 |website=NFL.com |date=March 4, 2013 |access-date=March 10, 2013}}</ref>

===New England Patriots===
Jenkins signed with the [[New England Patriots]] on March 28, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2013 |title=Patriots sign free agent WR Michael Jenkins |url=http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-sign-free-agent-WR-Michael-Jenkins/90da0e61-0ef3-4d50-984f-60ebd0efa621 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926003825/http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-sign-free-agent-WR-Michael-Jenkins/90da0e61-0ef3-4d50-984f-60ebd0efa621 |archive-date=September 26, 2013 |access-date=March 28, 2013 |website=Patriots.com}}</ref> He was released on August 15, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/michael-jenkins-released-by-new-england-patriots-0ap1000000230104 |title=Michael Jenkins released by New England Patriots |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=August 15, 2013 |website=NFL.com |access-date=August 16, 2013}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

=== Regular season ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="6"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Tgt!! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] !! [[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''16''' || 0 || 20 || 7 || 119 || '''17.0''' || 46 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] !! [[2005 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 14 || 12 || 71 || 36 || 508 || 14.1 || 58 || 3
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] !! [[2006 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 83 || 39 || 436 || 11.2 || 34 || '''7'''
|-
! [[2007 NFL season|2007]] !! [[2007 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 15 || 6 || 85 || '''53''' || 532 || 10.0 || 29 || 4
|-
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] !! [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''16''' || 12 || 81 || 50 || '''777''' || 15.5 || 62 || 3
|-
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] !! [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 15 || 9 || '''90''' || 50 || 635 || 12.7 || 50 || 1
|-
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] !! [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 11 || 9 || 73 || 41 || 505 || 12.3 || 43 || 2
|-
! [[2011 NFL season|2011]] !! [[2011 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 11 || 7 || 55 || 38 || 466 || 12.3 || '''72''' || 3
|-
! [[2012 NFL season|2012]] !! [[2012 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| '''16''' || 8 || 72 || 40 || 449 || 11.2 || 32 || 2
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 130 !! 79 !! 630 !! 354 !! 4,427 !! 12.5 !! 72 !! 25
|}

=== Playoffs ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="6"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Tgt!! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] !! [[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| '''2''' || 0 || 6 || 3 || 26 || 8.7 || 14 || 0
|-
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] !! [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 1 || '''1''' || '''10''' || 5 || 51 || 10.2 || 21 || 0
|-
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] !! [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 1 || '''1''' || 8 || '''6''' || 67 || 11.2 || 22 || 0
|-
! [[2012 NFL season|2012]] !! [[2012 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 1 || '''1''' || 5 || 3 || '''96''' || '''32.0''' || '''50''' || '''1'''
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 5 !! 3 !! 29 !! 17 !! 240 !! 14.1 !! 50 !! 1
|}

==Personal life==
Jenkins and his wife, Toya, currently reside in Georgia.  A graduate of [[A. P. Leto High School]] in Tampa, Jenkins donated football uniforms to his alma mater in 2008, telling the ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'', "You're always kind of fighting for your school".<ref>{{cite news|last=Hooper|first=Ernest|title=Al Roker to sample Ybor culture|date=January 26, 2009|newspaper=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|page=1B}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/5554/michael-jenkins ESPN.com profile]
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football navbox}}
{{2004 NFL Draft}}
{{FalconsFirstPick}}
{{Falcons2004draftpicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Michael}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Tampa, Florida]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:New England Patriots players]]
[[Category:A.P. Leto High School alumni]]