Malcolm Jenkins Is A Pioneer Beyond The Gridiron

Malcolm Jenkins Is A Pioneer Beyond The Gridiron

09.26.2018

Malcolm Jenkins: A Pioneer Beyond The Gridiron

UA Football athlete surprises high school with message about living as a modern athlete

“I’ve been playing this game for a long time - this is my 10th season – and after going to two Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls, today has been more fulfilling than any of that.”

 

In a collaboration with Under Armour’s UA Sportstyle category, the two-time world champion and team captain for the Philadelphia Eagles, Malcolm Jenkins, surprised an unsuspecting Imhotep Charter High School football team in North Philadelphia at their practice field on Monday, September 24.

 

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As a UA Sportstyle Pioneer, Jenkins is part of a global team leading Forge Forums around the world with the foundation of every project being the same: to celebrate the doers of a community, the creators who bring a DIY spirit to solving problems and fostering a better environment for those around them, every day. A pioneer in his community, just like Under Armour was in 1996 when it started with a dream of reinventing how athletes perform, Malcolm represents a drive for the next generation.

 

The day after a hard-fought 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Jenkins popped up at the Imhotep Panthers’ Monday practice to share a message about what it means to be an athlete in today’s climate and how to live and play as a modern athlete, while giving those in attendance the first look of an unreleased UA Forge 96 colorway. He urged the players to live beyond the gridiron, as modern athletes and masters of their game – to understand their position in culture and to not only embrace it but also affect it. He encouraged them to use their voices in their community and be catalysts for change.

 

“I challenge you in everything you do - whether it’s in the classroom, on the field, anything in life - find what motivates you, find what you play for.”

Malcolm Jenkins

After sharing stories with the team and talking about the importance of goal-setting, he asked the group to write down what motivates them or “what they are playing for” on white poster board, a quiet act that has become synonymous with Jenkins. The answers ranged from wanting to set the standard for future kids, to building bonds with others, to making their families proud. No matter what was written, each athlete had visions of being pioneers for themselves.

 

“I play (football) for my impact; for opportunities (like today) to influence the community," Jenkins said. "To influence my teammates and to influence the game. It is heavy on my heart at this point in time, and it’s what motivates me to continue."

 

The visit also included product and equipment reveals throughout the day, with everything a modern athlete needs on and off the field, including brand new UA Highlight cleats, apparel, and a freshly painted practice field. The surprises culminated at the end of practice: at the southeast corner of the field was a giant box, labeled with a neon UA Forge 96 sign and filled with pairs of the unreleased UA Forge 96 green and white colorway. The exclusive colorway releases globally on September 28 and is more than just a sneaker; it represents everything that Under Armour, Malcolm Jenkins and now the Imhotep Panthers are – innovators on and off the field.