Gene Frenette: Jaguars' Rayshawn Jenkins spends big for family tickets, Ngakoue, Federer, more
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It’s a good thing for Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins that he signed a four-year, $35 million contract last year. He needs a small chunk of that money just to accommodate paying for family ticket requests, starting with Sunday’s home opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Jenkins has (drum roll, please) 17 siblings, plus a fiancee (Emily Lillard), a 6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Along with his mother, Terry Bird, father Charlie Jenkins, a stepfather and stepmother — all family members except one live in the St. Petersburg area — the money Rayshawn shells out for home-game tickets is a lot higher than most NFL players.
“I always have no less than eight people at home games and usually no more than 20,” Jenkins said. “The average is probably about close to $2,000 a game for tickets, some get up into the $5,000 range. If I get a suite, it’s about 25 grand.”
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Jenkins, 28, is the second oldest of four biological kids with Charlie and Terry. The others are older brother Arkeith, and younger sisters Charlisa and Elise, with whom Rayshawn has the closest relationship.
The rest of the family breakdown includes one older half-brother (Charles Jenkins) and three older half-sisters (Shomira Byrd, Ashanti Jenkins, Chaneice Jenkins). Rayshawn also has three other younger half-brothers/half-sisters from his mother — Ronald Kelly, Jaleyah Booker and Soray Kelly.
From his father, other half-siblings are Keyon Jenkins, Jontae Jenkins, Lexis Jenkins, Kevary Jenkins, Shay Jenkins, Cyara Jenkins and the youngest, 14-year-old Camora Jenkins.
Every family member has an open invitation to come to any Jaguars game, though Rayshawn has one request: provide 48-hour notice if they decide not to show up so a paid ticket doesn’t go unused. Jenkins expects nine family members at the Colts game.
“That’s something I’ve always wanted to do, having my family at [NFL] games,” said Rayshawn. “I’ll pay for tickets, they pay for transportation and [hotel] room. I’ll meet you halfway if you’re willing to meet me halfway. That’s kind of how it is.”
Crowded conditions aside, which once had Rayshawn living with a maximum nine siblings in a two-bedroom house, the Jaguars safety speaks fondly about growing up with such a populated family dynamic.
So, does he have any desire to follow in his parents’ footsteps and raise his own extra-large family?
“That’s a lot of kids, I can’t imagine having that many,” said Rayshawn. “Different times, I guess.”
For now, though, Jenkins is doing his part to help fill seats at TIAA Bank Field.
Ngakoue same on, off field
Since the Jaguars traded the talented but volatile Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings before the 2020 season, nothing much has changed. He’s still productive in terms of getting pressure on the quarterback, remains so-so against the run, and tends to wear out his welcome.
Ngakoue, now property of the Colts, returns to TIAA Bank Field for the first time Sunday, no doubt stoked about showing his old employer what their pass rush has been missing without him.
Indy is his fourth different team since leaving the Jaguars, who traded Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings. He was dealt again to the Baltimore Ravens after just six games in Minnesota and registering five sacks.
Then after signing a two-year, $26 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, he went to the Colts to reunite with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, the ex-Jaguars head coach who was his DC in Las Vegas.
His sack numbers are virtually identical to his Jacksonville days. In four years with the Jaguars, Ngakoue had 37.5 sacks in 63 games and put the quarterback down once every 81 snaps. In 33 games with his four subsequent teams, Ngakoue has 18 sacks and one every 85.5 snaps.
Not same Bulls’ program
When Florida arranged to play a three-game series with South Florida in May 2018, it didn’t figure to be such a one-sided game. The Bulls were coming off seasons of 10-2 and 11-2 under two different head coaches, but USF has since gone into a steep decline, beginning in Charlie Strong’s final year and then three-plus seasons with Jeff Scott at the helm.
Since the 2018 season, the Bulls have gone 4-8, 1-8, 2-10 and are currently 1-1. More alarming is that in Scott’s tenure (4-19), the USF defeats have been by an average margin of 22.1 points.
Silver fumbled Sarver decision
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was totally on the defensive and delivered an awkward explanation of why he didn’t have the option to remove Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. He was fined $10 million and suspended a year for making racist and misogynistic remarks in front of team employees.
There was no reason to not give Sarver the same harsh consequences as former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who got banned for life in 2014 for his racist remarks. Silver just didn’t have the courage to pull the trigger.
It was telling that Suns veteran guard Chris Paul, one of the most respected players in the league, called out Silver for not bringing down a harsher punishment.
Federer was tennis artist
While Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic might have eclipsed his 20 Grand Slam titles, Roger Federer will always be considered the greatest tennis player of all-time in my book for the sheer artistry in which he used the whole court.
Nobody has ever had a more well-rounded game or looked so effortless playing it. The classy way Federer conducted himself also made him one of tennis’ most beloved players.
When Federer was 19, three years before he won his first of eight Wimbledon titles, I still remember a comment former Ponte Vedra Beach resident Todd Martin made to me after asking if he’d rather play Federer than a higher-ranked player in a potential 2001 Wimbledon quarterfinal that never materialized.
“Not necessarily,” said Martin. “Have you watched Federer play? His game is extraordinary. He’s got the potential to be an all-time great.”
Martin called it right. Men’s tennis had the Big Three at the top of their game simultaneously for a long time, but the greatest of that trio will always be Federer.
Down to wire for Jumbo Shrimp
With NFL and college football in full swing, don’t overlook the fact the Jumbo Shrimp are locked in a tight pennant race in the International League East division with four teams — Durham Bulls, Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders, Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Buffalo Bisons — and only 11 games remaining.
The third-place Shrimp, 1.5 games behind Durham and one game behind Scranton, have their last six-game homestand at 121 Financial Ballpark starting Tuesday against the Charlotte Knights, followed by a three-game, season-ending series at Norfolk. The division champion will likely face IL West leader Nashville in a one-game playoff October 1 in Las Vegas, followed by the Triple-A national championship the next day against the Pacific Coast League winner.
To win the pennant, Shrimp manager Daren Brown needs co-closers George Soriano and Eli Villalobos — no earned runs allowed since being called up to Triple-A on July 27 and August 21, respectively — to get the ball with a lead. Plus, hitting star Willians Austudillo (.314, 15 HRs, 44 RBI) must continue being a pitcher’s nightmare, which includes only 14 strikeouts in 245 at-bats.
Quick, parting nuggets
During the Jaguars’ seven-year home winning streak over the Indianapolis Colts, the franchise’s combined record is 33-80. The Colts’ aggregate record over that span is 57-56. Some results just can’t be explained. None were more inexplicable than Jaguars backup quarterback Cody Kessler beating Andrew Luck 6-0 in 2018, allowing the Jaguars to snap a seven-game losing streak. …
You know what makes the choice for American League MVP between New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shoehei Ohtani a great debate? There is no wrong choice. An equal argument can be made for the Yankees’ outfielder pursuing Roger Maris’ AL home run mark of 61 for a playoff-bound team, as well as Ohtani repeating as MVP for his unique skill set of being both an AL top-five pitcher and top-five hitter at the same time. …
Pigskin forecast
Jaguars over Indianapolis Colts by 1 (run game commitment); Buffalo Bills over Tennessee Titans by 7 (rat poison antidotes); Denver Broncos over Houston Texans by 3 (Russell Wilson venting sessions); Tampa Bay Bucs over New Orleans Saints by 1 (Tom Brady exorcism); Florida over USF by 25 (cupcake recipes); Texas A&M over Miami by 3 (“The U Is Not Back” chants); Last week: 3 right, 4 Nathan Hackett postgame explanations.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540
Gene Frenette Sports columnist at Florida Times-Union, follow him on Twitter @genefrenette
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Expensive bill for Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins to get family tickets
