The New York Giants cut cornerback Janoris Jenkins Friday, two days after he tweeted at a fan during a team practice and used a word deemed offensive.
Janoris, an eight-year NFL veteran, was a starting cornerback for New York for the past four seasons.
The roster designation is officially “waived/injured,” as Jenkins was sidelined this week with an ankle injury sustained in Monday’s game. Jenkins wasn’t practicing Wednesday when he sent the offending tweet, a reply to a fan asking why his efforts had not translated to more wins for the 2-11 Giants.
“I can only do my job.. retard,” Jenkins replied in a tweet that has since been deleted.
Jenkins followed it up with another tweet offering an apology, saying he “really didn’t mean no ’HARM.’” When reporters asked him about it Thursday, he brushed it off as “part of [his] culture.”
“Yeah, I regret it, but at the end of the day, like I said, it’s my slang, so if you take how you going to take it then that’s on you,” he said. “I don’t mean to offend nobody. My dad always told, ’Speak freely and own up to what you say.’”
Janoris Jenkins doesn’t get it. No other way to explain this #Giants pic.twitter.com/o1xaodAS1i
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) December 12, 2019
Giants coach Pat Shurmur called the cut an organizational decision.
“From ownership to management to our football operations, we felt it was in the best interests of the franchise and the player,” Shurmur said. “Obviously, what happened this week, and the refusal to acknowledge the inappropriate and offensive language, was the determining factor.”
Jenkins’ latest tweet appeared to offer a positive reaction to his release from the Giants, who have the second-worst record in the league.
Best news ever.. Thank you
— JackRabbit2.0 (@JjenkzLockdown) December 13, 2019
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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