Michael Jenkins (running back)

Last updated

Michael Jenkins
No. 27
Born: (1976-08-27) August 27, 1976 (age 48)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Career information
CFL status American
Position(s) RB
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight207 lb (94 kg)
College Arkansas
Career history
As player
2000–2001 Toronto Argonauts
2002 Houston Texans*
2003 Toronto Argonauts
2005 Montreal Alouettes
2005 Edmonton Eskimos
*Offseason and/or practice roster member only
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 2001
CFL East All-Star 2001
Awards

Michael Jenkins (born August 27, 1976) is a former American running back from Bethesda, Maryland, in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Contents

Jenkins attended the University of Wyoming in 1997 and University of Arkansas from 1998 to 1999.

Amateur career

Jenkins played at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California. The head coach during that time was Danny Benjamin, who later became Jenkins' agent. Jenkins went on to play two seasons at Coffeyville Junior College. [2]

University of Wyoming

Michael Jenkins lettered at the University of Wyoming in 1997, [3] rushing for 605 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns. He finished second on the team in rushing yards and was also second on the team in receiving yards, catching 25 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. [4]

University of Arkansas

Jenkins transferred from Wyoming to the University of Arkansas, redshirting the 1998 season. [5] [2] Jenkins played in the 1999 season under Coach Houston Nutt. During his one season with the Razorbacks he finished third on the team in rushing with 224 yards and three touchdowns. Jenkins had a 42-yard touchdown run in the 2000 Cotton Bowl Classic, helping Arkansas defeat the Texas Longhorns, 27–6. [6]

Professional career

Toronto Argonauts

In 2000, Jenkins joined the Toronto Argonauts as a free agent. In his rookie year, Jenkins played all 18 games and rushed for 1,050 rushing yards with two touchdowns and had 400 yards receiving. Upon the season's completion, he was voted the team's rookie of the year. With his small size and his large rushing numbers, comparisons between Jenkins and his head coach Pinball Clemons (who was a star running back during his playing days) naturally emerged.

During the 2001 season, Jenkins set an Argonauts team record for most rushing yards in a season with 1484 rushing yards on 271 carries and 8 touchdowns as well as 361 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Earlier in the season, there was great concern by the fans over whether Jenkins' running abilities would have been stifled because of the "pass-happy" philosophy of offensive co-ordinator John Jenkins. However, head coach Clemons put his coaching authority to use and called for a more balanced offensive attack combining the pass and running games to better utilize Michael Jenkins' game. The Football Reporters of Canada selected Jenkins as the winner of the 2001 John Candy Memorial Award, which is given to the Toronto Argonauts player of the year. [1]

Jenkins left the Argonauts in 2002 to sign with the Houston Texans, where he spent the season as a member of the team's practice squad, [7] and he returned to the Argonauts in 2003. However, he was not able to regain the form that he had when he first joined the team. After coming back from the NFL, Jenkins' weight increased. That, combined with an abductor/groin injury in the pre-season, and recurring ankle injuries factored into his decreased productivity. Despite those shortcomings throughout the season, Jenkins rushed for 195 yards in a game vs. the Edmonton Eskimos on August 17, 2003, and earned the CFL Offensive Player of the Week Award for the achievement. [8] For the season, Jenkins rushed for 814 yards on 156 carries with 6 rushing touchdowns, along with 316 yards receiving. Shortly thereafter, he had surgery on his injured ankles, which had hampered him during the season.

Injury and return to football

On May 17, 2004, Jenkins was released by the Argonauts, less than a month after the team signed free agent running back John Avery. Months later, Jenkins' agent, Danny Benjamin, alleged that his client would miss the entire 2004 CFL season because of the injured ankles and that the injury would not have been that serious had Jenkins not have gotten bad advice from Toronto's female trainer, Erin Brooks. Benjamin said "I have a problem with female trainers because they're female and they don't understand the male body. Their bodies are different." [9] Brooks laughed off the allegations by saying, "Injuries are injuries. Tissues are the same (in males and females)." Brooks was fired from the Argonauts in 2010, and won a settlement of $975,000 in 2012 after alleging in a lawsuit that she was terminated only because she was a woman. [9]

Montreal Alouettes

On February 18, 2005, Jenkins signed with the Montreal Alouettes, [7] but much of his time was split between the practice roster and the injured list. He was subsequently released by the Alouettes in July. [10]

Edmonton Eskimos

On August 22, 2005, Jenkins signed with the Edmonton Eskimos, and only played in one game on September 9, 2005, vs. the Calgary Stampeders. In that game he rushed for 30 yards on 8 carries, and caught one pass for 11 yards. [11] Jenkins went on to win a Grey Cup championship with the Eskimos that year. [12] He finished his CFL career with 3378 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, and 1077 yards receiving.

Related Research Articles

John Edward Avery Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft with the 29th overall pick. Avery played in the NFL for the Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings. He played in the CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts. He was also in the XFL with the Chicago Enforcers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Ray</span> American football player (born 1979)

Ricky Ray is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. Ray spent the majority of his professional career with the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also briefly spent time in the af2, as well as with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Ray is the all-time leader in passing yardage, pass completions, and passing touchdowns for both the Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts. He won a Grey Cup championship four times as a starter, in 2003, 2005, 2012, and 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reggie McNeal</span> American gridiron football player (born 1983)

Reginald Parrish McNeal is an American former professional football player. He played five seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Texas A&M University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrell Mitchell</span> American gridiron football player (born 1971)

Derrell Lavoice "Mookie" Mitchell is a former Canadian Football League (CFL) slotback with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos and former wide receivers coach for the Edmonton Eskimos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Dunigan</span> American football player

Matt Dunigan is an American broadcaster and former professional football player and executive. He is a Canadian Football League (CFL) sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN. Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the CFL. In 2006, Dunigan joined the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#39) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.

Tom Wilkinson is an American former professional football quarterback best known for his time with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, where he played on six Grey Cup-winning teams. He was a Western Conference and CFL all-star quarterback in 1974, 1978 and 1979 and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in 1974. Wilkinson has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarious Jackson</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1977)

Jarious K. Jackson is an American professional football coach and former player who is the interim head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also been a coach for the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and BC Lions. Jackson played professionally as a quarterback in the CFL for eight seasons with the Lions and one year with the Argonauts where he won three Grey Cup championships in 2006, 2011, and 2012. He has also been a member of the Denver Broncos (NFL), to whom he was drafted 214th overall in the 2000 NFL draft, and the Barcelona Dragons. Jackson played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Tracy Ham is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Edmonton Eskimos, the Toronto Argonauts, the Baltimore Stallions, and the Montreal Alouettes. He was known for his abilities as a dual-threat quarterback. He played college football for the Georgia Southern Eagles, where he became the first quarterback to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 5,000 yards in a career. Ham is an inductee of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Ham is currently the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Georgia Southern University.

Archie J. Amerson is an American former professional Canadian football running back and slotback who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1997 to 2004, appearing in 122 regular season games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and one regular season game for the Toronto Argonauts. In 1999, he was part of the Tiger-Cats team that won the 87th Grey Cup. He missed the entire 2005 season due to injury and was released by the Tiger-Cats afterwards. At the time of his release, Amerson was one of the most prolific receivers in Tiger-Cats history, ranking third in receptions, fourth in receiving yards, fifth in kickoff return yards, and sixth in touchdowns.

Cory J. Boyd is an American former professional football running back. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college football at South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Kerrigan</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1960)

Michael Joseph Kerrigan is an American former professional gridiron football quarterback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Harris (Canadian football)</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1987)

Andrew Harris is a former professional Canadian football running back who played for 14 years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Harris is a four-time Grey Cup champion, two-time winner of the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian and one-time Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, as well as a five-time CFL All-Star and a six-time CFL West All-Star. He played for the BC Lions for six seasons before joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2016 as a free agent, where he was named the 2017 Most Outstanding Canadian after leading the league in rushing and setting the record for single-season receptions by a running back. In 2022, while a member of the Toronto Argonauts, Harris passed 10,000 career rushing yards and became the CFL leader in career yards from scrimmage by a Canadian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvin McCarty</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1984)

Calvin McCarty is an American former professional football fullback who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is currently the running backs coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He played as a tailback until 2014, when he became the starting fullback for the Edmonton Eskimos. McCarty was known for being able to fill many roles at his position, with TSN sportscaster Chris Schultz noting in 2010 that he is a "multi-purpose running back who catches the ball extremely well, blocks well and runs well". He is a Grey Cup champion after winning with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Kackert</span> American gridiron football player (born 1986)

Charles Kackert is a former Canadian football running back who played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at New Hampshire. He was also a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL).

The 2012 CFL season was the 59th season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 55th season for the Canadian Football League. The pre-season began on June 13, 2012, and the regular season started on June 29, 2012. Rogers Centre in Toronto hosted the 100th Grey Cup on November 25, with the hometown Toronto Argonauts defeating the Calgary Stampeders 35–22.

Brett Smith is an American former professional football quarterback. He played college football at Wyoming. He attended Leslie Middle School in Salem, Oregon from 2004 to 07 and later graduated from West Salem High School in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John White (running back, born 1991)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

John White IV is an American former professional football running back who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Los Angeles Harbor College and the University of Utah.

Ted Alford is a former professional gridiron football wide receiver. After playing college football at Langston University, he played for seven teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL), including the Edmonton Eskimos, BC Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts, and Calgary Stampeders. In his rookie season with the BC Lions, Alford became a consistent starter and was nominated for the Most Outstanding Rookie award. He spent the next several years moving from team to team, playing in only 8 CFL games from 1997 through 2000.

Logan Kilgore is an American football coach and former quarterback who is an offensive quality control coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Kilgore made his professional debut in 2016 for the Toronto Argonauts and remained with the Argonauts until 2017. He also spent a year each with the Hamilton Tiger Cats and Edmonton Eskimos. After ending his CFL career in 2019, Kilgore accumulated 2,010 yards and 11 touchdowns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Ralph</span> Canadian football player (born 1992)

Jimmy Ralph is a former professional Canadian football wide receiver. He began his professional career with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017 where he won his first Grey Cup as a member of the 105th Grey Cup championship team.

References

  1. 1 2 "John Candy Memorial Award Winners." Archived 2014-01-18 at the Wayback Machine www.argonauts.ca. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Thompson, Carlton. "Undersized Jenkins setting sights high for Texans." Houston Chronicle , June 4, 2002. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Cowboy Traditions: Cowboy Lettermen." www.graphics.fansonly.com. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  4. ↑ "1997 Wyoming Cowboys Stats." www.sports-reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  5. ↑ "JC receiver decides to pass up spring." Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Log Cabin Democrat, January 12, 1999. www.thecabin.net. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  6. ↑ "1999 Arkansas Razorbacks Stats." www.sports-reference.com. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Esks agree to terms with Michael Jenkins". OurSportsCentral. August 25, 2005.
  8. ↑ "Jenkins snags CFL offensive award". CBC Sports. August 21, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  9. 1 2 Westhead, Rick (January 21, 2012). "Athletic therapist claimed she was fired by Toronto Argos because she's a woman". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Michael Jenkins." www.cflapedia.com. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  11. ↑ Huntington, Jonathan (September 7, 2005). "Running scared?". Edmonton Sun. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ↑ "93rd Grey Cup, November 27, 2005." Archived October 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine www.cfl.ca. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.