Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins was adamant that he will play under a new contract with the team next season, or he will be playing for another club.
“I won’t be back on the same deal. That won’t happen,” Jenkins said on Monday, one day after the Eagles dropped a 17-9 decision to the Seattle Seahawks in their NFC wild-card game.
Jenkins is scheduled to make a base salary of $7.6 million in the final season of his four-year, $35.6 million contract.
The 32-year-old attempted to address the situation prior to this season. He skipped voluntary workouts in the spring before showing up for mandatory activities.
Jenkins recorded 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 16 games during the regular season.
“I’m not one to beg,” Jenkins said, per ESPN. “I am a very prideful person, so I feel like what I put out there this year, what I put on tape, what I’ve given to this team is more than enough. I can’t do any more. So for me, I feel good about that — that it’ll be good enough for me to go into this offseason with certainty that I’ll be fine.”
A two-time Super Bowl champion, Jenkins has 873 tackles, 10 sacks and 17 interceptions in 167 career games with the New Orleans Saints and Eagles.