Eric Reid calls Malcolm Jenkins a “sellout” and a “neo-colonialist.” pic.twitter.com/uQfhz6o7FF
— Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf) October 21, 2018
Tensions involving former 49ers and current Panthers safety Eric Reid and Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins boiled over on Sunday, from the opening coin toss to the post game locker room.
Before we get into that, some context: Jenkins co-founded the Players Coalition, a group that used to include Reid, which is centered around furthering the cause of social justice. Reid ultimately left the group due to a disagreement with Jenkins, after the latter agreed to “stop kneeling during the national anthem after the NFL announced it would donate $100 million to causes considered important to the coalition.”
Reid says he was never consulted about such a deal, and wouldn’t have agreed to it had he been.
That takes us to Sunday, when Reid and Jenkins met on the field in Reid’s second game since being signed by the Panthers. The confrontation started from the jump, when Reid and Jenkins had to be separated during the coin toss.
Here’s what happened between Eric Reid and Malcom Jenkins during the coin toss… also Reid shoving away teammate Torrey Smith pic.twitter.com/Q0TTKXgkx8
— Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) October 21, 2018
Things continued during the game, when Reid took down Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz well after he’d given up the ball. Eagles tight end Zach Ertz charged Reid, who proceeded to body slam him to the ground.
Zach Ertz tried to stick up for his QB and got the smack down from Eric Reid ?pic.twitter.com/MYy0dBECcm
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) October 21, 2018
After the game Reid initially refused to talk about the situation, before blasting Jenkins and calling him a sellout.
“He co-opted with the movement that was started by Colin to get his organization started. It was cowardly. He sold us out.”
Reid’s former teammate Colin Kaepernick, came to his defense on Twitter.
Eric Reid!!! Enough said!!! @E_Reid35 #ImWithReid
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) October 21, 2018