[4] In his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings in 1991, Jenkins made one interception, returning it for the single touchdown of his career.

During the 1993 NFL season, the Vikings' defensive coordinator, Tony Dungy, remarked that Jenkins was "on his way to becoming an outstanding outside linebacker".

[5] In 1995, the St. Louis Rams signed Jenkins as a free agent to replace linebacker Joe Kelly.

[6] At the time, head coach Rich Brooks complimented Jenkins on his "youth, speed and NFL experience", characterizing him as a "big-play production guy and an impact hitter".

According to Jenkins, he had been riding his Suzuki 1100 without a helmet at approximately seventy miles an hour when a displaced manhole cover caused him to fly off his motorcycle.