The New York Giants have let go of cornerback Janoris Jenkins after a controversial Twitter exchange emerged between he and a fan.
Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said, “This was 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. Obviously, what happened this week, and the refusal to acknowledge the inappropriate and offensive language, was the determining factor.”
Jenkins responded with a tweet saying, “I just want to thank the organization for the opportunity & good luck to my brothers that remains a Giant! Again, want my fans to know my intentions are always pure and genuine.”
The original feud began after a fan called out Jenkins for boasting about his stats for a Giants team that has only two wins. Jenkins replied by saying, “I can only do my job”, then proceeded to call the fan the “r-word”. He then tried to defend himself by saying it was slang from where he was from.
Now the speculation lies with what’s next for Jenkins. He leaves behind a five-year, $62.5 million contract with the Giants and since he was waived, he’ll be subjected to waivers as all teams will be given the opportunity to submit claims for him.
It does not seem like Jenkins will face punishment from the league and clearly instead of fining or suspending Jenkins, the Giants cut ties completely.
Potential destinations for Jenkins lie with the Jacksonville Jaguars, bringing Jenkins home to Florida. Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has admitted he is a fan of Jenkins. And New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas potentially sees Jenkins as a gamble worth taking.
The Giants defense has struggled this season, but definitely fell apart in the second half of their overtime loss to the Eagles. With the release of a talent like Jenkins, the defense will have to figure out ways to block the run and adapt to an opponents tempo shift, especially late in games.
For now Jenkins will wait to see if teams submit a claim, with a deadline of Monday at 4 p.m. ET to do so.
