Malcolm Jenkins is playing as if there is no title to defend
Many analysts believe that the Philadelphia Eagles can’t handle Super Bowl success. Malcolm Jenkins believes the team thinks otherwise.
It’s been over a decade since the last time an NFL team has won back-to-back Super Bowls. Now, the Philadelphia Eagles finally get their chance to become the eighth team in NFL history to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Nobody said it was easy. Actually, the Eagles are continued to be overlooked as some went as far as saying they won’t even win the NFC East or could miss the playoffs.
Where are these statements coming from? Why does the national media believe that the Eagles cannot repeat? Did their Super Bowl journey from 2017-2018 prove absolutely nothing to the non-Eagles fan? It sounds like the general public thinks that the Eagles just cannot handle massive success. And select veterans and coaches are doing everything they can to re-assure the Eagles fan base that they are still hungry for more.
Last season, the Eagles only had a few players that have hoisted a Vince Lombardi trophy at least once in their career. One of those players happens to be Eagles safety and acting captain, Malcolm Jenkins. During his tenure with the New Orleans Saints, Jenkins won his first Super Bowl during his rookie season back in 2009.
Although he was relatively new to the NFL at the time, his experiences as a young defensive back in the Super Bowl gave him the knowledge and maturity to be able to lead the Eagles into a follow-up season as champions. If his words are any indication of how the season is going to go, we would say that the Eagles are going to be playing like they still have a ton to prove.
No title to defend?
Malcolm Jenkins on being champs
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 30, 2018
“I don’t think were defending. I don’t think we have this years title. Its not like you carry a belt that people have to come take from you. Were at the beginning just like everybody else”#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/mKXJGpIdi0
Jenkins has entered into 2018 training camp with an interesting perspective. Clearly, the Eagles are the defending champions. There is absolutely no way to avoid that label. But around the locker room, the team doesn’t seem to have really changed their ‘hungry dog’ mentality. It looks like the only thing the Eagles have left from last season is the memories, and the new decorations around the Nova Care Complex dedicated to the victory.
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The Super Bowl champ has made an excellent point, though. Regardless of the Eagles being defending Super Bowl champions, it doesn’t give them an advantage when the season officially kicks off. All 32 teams will start the season off with zero wins and losses, and the Super Bowl becomes old news to the Eagles. That’s the message that Jenkins is spreading to his fellow teammates as the Eagles are working on becoming the NFL’s next dynasty.