If there is anybody with the motivation to have a great year in 2024, it is Teven Jenkins. The former 2nd round pick finds himself in the last season of his rookie contract. His efforts to engage the Chicago Bears on an extension haven’t been reciprocated. The reasoning for this isn’t hard to miss. Jenkins has missed 20 combined games over his first three seasons. Nobody questions Jenkins’ ability to play at a high level. They question his ability to stay on the field. Teams aren’t going to pay big money to guys who can’t survive an entire season.
That is probably why the 26-year-old decided to hit this off-season with a will. He couldn’t just limit himself to personal workouts and communication with coaches. He had to find more help to get his body and mind where needed. So, according to Carmen Vitali of Fox Sports, he reached out to A.Q. Shipley. The former Super Bowl champion offensive lineman brought Jenkins out west to work with him. Not only did he get an education on how to work out and digest film, but he also got a new motto to operate by.
Jenkins is here of his own volition, having reached out to Shipley after seeing one of Shipley’s “In the Trenches” segments on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Jenkins appreciated Shipley’s breakdown of his play. Shipley invited Jenkins to Arizona.
I, in turn, invited myself.
And here we are, surrounded by every machine a professional lineman could ever want underneath a custom-made sign that says “Don’t Be a Pussy” hanging on the wall, listening to everything from Five Finger Death Punch to Bad Bunny to the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack blaring over the loudspeaker.
If anybody knows how to be tough and fight through adversity, it’s Shipley. He was a 7th round pick in 2009 and bounced around rosters, not getting to play until 2012. He had a journeyman career, constantly having to fight for playing time while dealing with nagging injuries. Despite everything, his hard work was rewarded with opportunities that landed him a ring. He was also coached by some of the best in the NFL, such as Bruce Arians, Harold Goodwin, and Joe Gilbert. The guy knows what high-level offensive line play should be.
That motto in his gym might come across as over the top, but there is truth behind it. Nagging injuries is a fact of life for offensive linemen. The best thing for them to do is work their body to a state where it’s strong enough and tough enough to handle the wear and tear. Nobody would ever make the mistake of calling Teven Jenkins soft. Still, embracing that mentality is a great way to get him ready for the most important season of his career.
