The New York Giants have waived/injured veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins ahead of their Week 15 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
Nearly four years after they signed him to a large contract, the New York Giants have waived/injured veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins. This comes for a few reasons. For one, Jenkins is currently nursing an ankle injury suffered in the recent loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. His status for the upcoming matchup with the Miami Dolphins was still up the air.
However, the release mainly comes because of the controversy Jenkins found himself in this week. During Wednesday’s practice, one in which he didn’t participate in with the team, Jenkins had an exchange with a critic on Twitter. When the critic took a shot at both him and the team, Jenkins responded with an offensive and derogatory term.
I only can do my job.. retard https://t.co/hYDVcbk9sd
— JackRabbit2.0 (@JjenkzLockdown) December 11, 2019
Jenkins has since defended his use of the word, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
“Where I’m from, we use all kind of words for slang. If it offends anybody, I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s a culture that I grew up in where I’m from, you know what I’m saying. We use all kinds of words for all kinds of slang. If you don’t know, it’s a ‘hood thing. Whatever. I’m not calling nobody no name or pick at nobody. It’s just something we use in the hood back at home.”
“I regret it. But at the end of the day, it’s my slang,” he added. “So if you take it how you’re going to take it, it’s on you. I don’t mean to offend nobody. My dad always told me, ‘Speak freely and own up to what you say.’ So I always speak freely as a man, and I speak how I want to speak.”
Minutes before the Giants waived him, Jenkins expressed relief on Twitter. It’s clear he wanted out anyway.
Best news ever.. Thank you
— JackRabbit2.0 (@JjenkzLockdown) December 13, 2019
Jenkins finishes his Giants career (53 games) with 12 picks (two pick-sixes), 56 passes defended, and 203 combined tackles.
