Kris Jenkins’s View of Life in the N.F.L. Trenches

By GREG BISHOP
NYT

The Carolina Panthers selected Kris Jenkins in the second round of the N.F.L. 2001 draft. He was on four Pro Bowl teams and named All-Pro three times in seven seasons with them. In 2002 and 2003, he was a dominant player on the Panthers’ defensive line, helping them reach the Super Bowl for the first time.

The 6-foot-4 Jenkins, who was 360 pounds in his playing days, made tens of millions of dollars in salary over his 10-year career with the Panthers and then with the Jets. A series of major operations (one shoulder, three knee) forced him to retire. In his final two seasons, 2009 and 2010, he played seven games. He intended to return in 2011 after the Jets released him but ultimately decided to move into broadcasting. He works for the New York-based SNY cable channel, among other outlets.

Jenkins, 32, lives with his wife, Tashia, and his three sons. He does Pilates and takes herbs and roots to recover from injuries sustained on the field. In the future, he said, he wants to host a football camp for linemen, covering everything from finances to proper technique. He also hopes to return to the University of Maryland to complete his degree in kinesiology. Here are excerpts from recent interviews with Jenkins, who said he wanted to share the often untold stories of life as a professional football player. GREG BISHOP

N.F.L. fans, people outside, they have no clue what goes on. This isn’t like playing Madden. This isn’t like being the popular kid in high school. When you do those things in the real world, and it don’t work out, you still have your health. The thing about football is you’re directly playing with your life, the quality of it and the longevity of it. The stakes are up there.

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