Eagles' Jenkins responds to White House, critics with signs on social injustice
Malcolm Jenkins responded to questions today by holding up a series of signs. He did not speak. Here are a few. pic.twitter.com/I01lfMwVgq
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 6, 2018
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins cycled through a series of signs Wednesday related to criminal justice issues in the U.S. and NFL players' charitable work and activism instead of answering questions from reporters.
Asked whether he was surprised the team didn't go to the White House, Jenkins remained silent while displaying the signs at his locker. He spotlighted criminal justice and law enforcement issues including the rate of incarceration of people of color, the proportion of African-American men shot and killed by police, the school-to-prison pipeline, and cash bail.
Malcolm Jenkins interesting statement on Trump and White House controversy
— Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) June 6, 2018
The Eagles safety would not answer a question only holding up poster boards he made@6abc pic.twitter.com/fMTpN1xwDp
The Eagles were disinvited to the White House by President Donald Trump on Monday, a night before they were scheduled to make the trip, with Trump citing the small delegation that was expected to attend and suggesting the team disagreed with having to "proudly stand ... hand on heart" for the national anthem.
One Eagles player kneeled during the anthem in the 2017 preseason, but was cut before the season began. None of the Eagles kneeled during the anthem last season. Jenkins raised a fist during the national anthem before several games.