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John Jenkins shares his gratitude for his recent Ravens extension
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- John Jenkins shares his gratitude for his recent Ravens extension
John Jenkins has been around for a while. Think about this for a second. Long before landing on the Baltimore Ravens ' 2025 roster, he played for Mark Richt's Georgia Bulldogs . Stop what you're doing for a second. Let that sink.
He was a third-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, and since then, he has seen seven different locker rooms. He hasn't been in Baltimore long. That's fitting. He hasn't spent a ton of time anywhere.
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After signing his one-year extension with the Ravens , he spoke with media members , and he said something most would find interesting.
"I've been on – I want to say – 11 one-year deals. So yes, I was surprised."
Based on how he said it, he didn't even seem sure, and honestly, that isn't why we're talking about him. That said, we didn't double-check the number ourselves. Here's what we know. Jenkins' ride in the NFL has been a blessing.
It has also been void of assurances and wildly unpredictable, but it has been a blessing nonetheless. He stepped in following Nnamdi Madubuike 's season-ending neck injury. He showed some moxy, and Baltimore rewarded him for his efforts.
"Man, I'm excited. I'm pretty sure y'all have done your jobs, [so you] know that I've been around the whole [United States]. Having my first extension in 13 years, I'm excited."
Those were Jenkins' words when asked how excited he was about being asked by the Ravens to hang around for another season. He turns 37 on July 11th, and while that isn't old, by pro football's standards, guys on the wrong side of 35 are sometimes treated like they're senior citizens.
"[You just have to] know that [playing his position for as long as he has] is not very glorified. I make a joke with Pat Ricard – he's the nose tackle of the offense – we just grind, do our job and just set people up to make plays... Being in this position for 13 years, you start thinking about life after football, right? So, I was just having some conversations with some people in the front office and things of that nature, and they were just like, 'Hey, listen, you still got it.' I'm like, 'You think so?' And then next thing you know, here we are."
Jenkins shared his gratitude for the Ravens' organization's belief in him and how he's excited to have the opportunity to play for a postseason berth and possibly make a run. He even joked that he was waiting for the media to leave so he could call his family and tell them the good news.
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He spoke of being humbled by the Ravens rolling the dice on him after losing Broderick Washington Jr. and Nnamdi Madubuike, whom he referred to as 'Beeks'. Never one to forget where he comes from, Jenkins shared how that alone reminds him of previous days when the road wasn't always so certain.
"I remember my rookie year – my old vet – Broderick Bunkley went down [during] the first game of the season – this was 2013 in New Orleans . He said, 'Man, don't give them a reason to bring somebody in.' So, with that being said, it let me know that they have faith in me, at least enough for them to say, 'Hey, let's see what he's going to do. And if he does what we need him to do, then we can just keep it rolling.' I'm very grateful for that."
He has certainly made fans out of us. Hopefully, he has made one out of you, too. We've seen enough. Guys like this make Baltimore and its players and coaches an easy organization to root for.
Another test awaits. The Ravens must beat the hated Steelers to qualify for playoff contention. That said, the celebration is over. It's time for Jenkins and company to go earn that money now.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: John Jenkins shares his gratitude for his recent Ravens extension
