Wide Receiver, Birmingham
Americans
1st season
in pro football
College: Morris
Brown
Height: 5’10” Weight: 161
Prelude:
A star with a
small college, Jenkins was ignored in the NFL draft. After failing in a tryout
with the Houston Oilers he signed with the Americans of the new WFL for 1974.
1974 Season Summary
Appeared in all
20 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass Receiving
Receptions – 60
[5, tied with Ed Marshall]
Yards – 1326 [1]
Most yards,
game – 200 (on 5 catches) vs. Memphis 7/24
Average gain – 22.1
[1]
TDs – 12 [2]
Rushing
Attempts – 3
Yards – 8
Yards per
attempt – 2.7
TDs – 0
Punt Returns
Returns – 30 [8]
Yards – 262 [6]
Average per
return – 8.7 [7]
TDs – 0
Longest return
– 42 yards
Scoring
TDs – 12 [8,
tied with John Land]
Action points –
5
Points – 89 [10]
Points – 89 [10]
Postseason: 2 G
Pass receptions
– 3
Most pass
receptions, game – 2 vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round playoff
Pass receiving
yards – 64
Most pass
receiving yards, game – 46 vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round playoff
Yards per
reception – 21.3
Pass Receiving
TDs – 1
Punt returns –
2
Punt return
yds. – 31
Punt return
avg. – 15.5
Punt return TDs
– 0
Longest return
– 27 yards vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-WFL: League, Sporting News
Americans went
15-5 to finish second in the WFL Central Division and qualified for the
postseason. Won Second Round playoff over The Hawaiians (22-19) & WFL
Championship, aka World Bowl, over Florida Blazers (22-21).
Aftermath:
Jenkins jumped
to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL in 1975 and continued to be productive. He
caught 38 passes for 767 yards (20.2 avg.) and 6 TDs in ’75. It was the first
of nine NFL seasons, all with the Falcons, until 1983, when he left the team to
enter drug treatment. He excelled in Atlanta’s fine passing game with his speed
and leaping ability, garnering Pro Bowl honors in 1980 and ’81 and consensus
first-team All-NFL recognition in 1981. With the Falcons, Jenkins had 360 pass
receptions for 6267 yards (17.4 avg.) and 40 touchdowns.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing: Yards,
TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards,
Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues include
NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69),
WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC since
1970
