The Panthers gave him a narcotics test, but the results turned up negative. A doctor finally diagnosed Jenkins with sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that distorts normal sleep patterns and sparks fatigue. Surgery corrected his condition, and the 6-foot-4, 335 pound Jenkins has been awake ever since, making two straight All-Pro teams. Several NFL general managers have named him the best lineman in the game, and ex-Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and CBS commentator Boomer Esiason simply calls Jenkins a freak. Some peers go even further. Kris Jenkins is the dominant force in football, says fellow Panther tackle Brentson Buckner.
Containing this force remains New Englands most daunting challenge on Sunday. You need at least one-and-a-half guys to block Jenkins, says New England offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Hes explosive off the ball, and he reads snap counts real well. Lots of big guys get tired really quickly, but Jenkins plays hard every down. In my mind, thats what makes him so special. New England rookie center Dan Koppen and guard Russ Hochstein, whom Warren Sapp once famously said couldnt block two middle-aged columnists from the Washington Post, will share Jenkins duty in Houston, but given the talent of fellow Carolina linemen Buckner, Julius Peppers and Michael Rucker, they cant concern themselves with one player. Says Scarnecchia: You cant do anything special to stop Jenkins, because theyve got three other guys that can wreck you.
Growing up in a rough neighborhood in Ypsilanti, MI, outside of Detroit, Jenkins had plenty of chances to wreck his own life. But his father, a middle school African-American studies and drama teacher, wouldnt let that happen to his gangly, clumsy young son. I couldnt stand it when hed wup me with those belts, those paddles, Jenkins says. Some people called it abusive. But being where I am now, I really appreciate his discipline. He taught me that the world isnt a nice place, that there would be consequences for my actions. Darome Jenkins, a single father, makes no apologies. Id rather put a belt to him as a child than watch the police put a belt to him later on.
Jenkins feared his father so much that after cutting out of class early the in ninth grade, he asked his younger brother, recent Green Bay Packers signee Cullen Jenkins, to punch him in the face so it looked like the principal sent him home after a schoolyard brawl. Cullen refused, then heard strange sounds emanating from the bathroom — Kris was right-hooking himself in the eye. Since he couldnt fully mutilate his face, Jenkins came clean to his dad. For once, he let Kris off easy, Cullen says. It was just too damn funny to get mad about.
Carolina isn't laughing at a New England offense Jenkins insists is underrated. Our biggest concern is their running game, he says. People say they dont have a strong running game, but after watching film the last couple of days, its a lot tougher than I had imagined. They do a lot of straight-on blocking, and then theyll mix in some misdirection blocking. And in the passing game, they run a bunch of three-step drops, which makes it tough to get your hands up. Its going to be a long sixty minutes. Fortunately for Panthers, Jenkins no longer sleeps through long stretches.