Month: March 2022

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins announced Wednesday on social media that he will retire from the NFL, ending a 13-year career.  Jenkins wrote: “Grateful. After 13 seasons, my time on the football field has come to an end. I’m just a boy from Piscataway, who through this game became a champion in the sport and a champion for the people. My time on the field may be over, but I’ll never stop fighting for the people.”

The 34-year-old Jenkins spent the past two seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He totaled 79 tackles, five passes defensed, an interception, a touchdown, a sack and a forced fumble in 16 starts in 2021.  The three-time Pro Bowl safety spent his first five seasons with the Saints and won a Super Bowl with the franchise in 2010. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014 and won a Super Bowl with that franchise in 2018. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a news release: “In so many ways, Malcolm Jenkins defined everything we want a Philadelphia Eagles to be. He was talented, intelligent, versatile and reliable. He was physically and mentally tough. He led with his words, with his actions, and with the professionalism he brought every single day to our building.”

Jenkins, a two-time Super Bowl champion, also was known for his off-field efforts. He was given the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award in 2016 for his impact on his team’s city and communities across the country. Saints coach Dennis Allen said in a news release:  “I recall when we first drafted Malcolm in 2009, he made contributions to a Super Bowl championship team in multiple positions in the secondary and then pretty quickly developed into an outstanding safety. The combination of skill, awareness and intelligence allowed Malcolm to be in position to make plays all over the field. To put up the numbers he did for as long as he did speaks both to his talent and his commitment to his craft. He was also a great leader in the locker room and important contributor to the community. I’m proud to say that I had the opportunity to coach Malcolm and congratulate him on an excellent career.”

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Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee Wednesday morning and is expected to miss four to six weeks.  Williams could potentially return to the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs, if the team advances past the first round.

The 6-foot-8, 237-pound Williams injured the knee during the Celtics win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Boston. The four-year veteran started 61 regular-season games, and is averaging career highs, with 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game this season.

The Celtics (47-29) hold the No. 3 seed in the current Eastern Conference standings. Six games remain in the NBA’s regular season. The Miami Heat (48-28) are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks (47-28).

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The New Orleans Saints agreed to a one-year deal with 11-year veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, worth up to $6 million in incentives and including $3 million in guarantees. The 34-year-old Dalton spent last season with the Chicago Bears, completing 63.1% of his throws for 1,515 yards, eight scores and nine interceptions in eight appearances. He posted a 3-3 record as a starter.

Jameis Winston is expected to be the Saints’ starting quarterback. The Saints signed Winston, 28, to a two-year, $28 million contract earlier this off-season. Winston completed 59% of his throws for 1,170 yards, 14 scores and three interceptions in seven starts last season, missing 10 games due to a knee injury.

Backup quarterbacks Taysom Hill, Blake Bortles and Ian Book also remain. At the NFL’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, Saints coach Dennis Allen told reporters that Hill will spend most of his time at tight end. Hill started five games at quarterback in 2021 and drew nine starts at the position over the past two seasons.

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On Tuesday, the NFL team owners voted to change the rules for overtime in the playoffs, allowing each team to possess the ball.   Competition committee chairman Rich McKay made the announcement at the league’s annual meeting at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, saying that the Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 23 in the divisional round of the playoffs led to the change. The Chiefs ended that back-and-forth matchup with a walk-off touchdown on the first possession of overtime. The Bills were not given a chance to answer the score under the old rules.

Under the old regular-season and playoff rules, the team that received the overtime kickoff won the game if it scored on the first possession, and will still apply in the 2022 regular season. Under the new playoff rules, the team that kicks off in overtime will get a possession, even if the receiving team scores on its opening drive. That second possession will be played out in full, even if the clock runs out. In addition, under the new playoff format, if both teams score touchdowns on their opening drives, the next team to score will win the game.

Editorial credit: dean bertoncelj / Shutterstock.com