Few players have experienced as many unforgettable football moments as Michael Jenkins.
From catching one of the most iconic passes in Ohio State history to playing alongside Michael Vick and catching Matt Ryan’s first NFL touchdown pass, Jenkins built a career around delivering in the biggest moments.
On Episode 41 of Game Runs Deep, Jenkins joined Sudu Upadhyay for a wide-ranging conversation about his Ohio State career, his years with the Atlanta Falcons, the evolution of college football and the lessons that have shaped him long after retirement.
The Story Behind “Holy Buckeye”
No play defines Jenkins’ college career more than the legendary “Holy Buckeye” touchdown against Purdue in 2002. With Ohio State’s national championship hopes on the line, Jenkins admitted something many Buckeye fans may not have known.
He didn’t even run the correct route.
“We literally called the same play,” Jenkins said. “I was supposed to run a post… somehow I just ran a go.”
The mistake didn’t matter.
@sudutv Fourth-and-1. Season on the line. National championship hopes hanging by a thread. And Michael Jenkins says he didn’t even run the right route. The story behind “Holy Buckeye.” 🎙️ Full new episode of Game Runs Deep out now! #ohiostatebuckeyes #ohiostatefootball #holybuckeye #michaeljenkins #collegefootball
♬ original sound – Sudu
Craig Krenzel found Jenkins for one of the most memorable plays in Buckeye history, preserving Ohio State’s undefeated season and setting the stage for the national championship run.
Why Jim Tressel Was Different
Jenkins credited former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel for creating a culture that valued relationships as much as football.
“He had a way of commanding the room,” Jenkins said. “He had a way of being a leader that everybody wanted to follow and respected.”
The conversation also touched on Tressel’s resignation amid NCAA violations that, in today’s NIL landscape, seem almost impossible to imagine. Jenkins acknowledged how dramatically college football has changed, noting the contrast between players once being punished over memorabilia and today’s multimillion-dollar NIL deals.
Is Ohio State Really “Wide Receiver U”?
Few schools can match Ohio State’s recent run of elite receivers.
When asked to build the perfect Buckeye wide receiver, Jenkins drafted a different Ohio State legend for each category, including hands, speed, route running, catch radius, football IQ, toughness, yards after catch, swagger and the clutch gene.
Michael Vick Was Unlike Anything He’d Ever Seen
After being selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Jenkins joined an Atlanta Falcons team led by one of football’s biggest superstars. Michael Vick.
Jenkins described Vick’s popularity as “Michael Jackson type treatment” and admitted there were moments during games when he found himself watching Vick instead of running his route.
“You’re in the game and you’re still kind of in awe of what he’s doing,” Jenkins said.
Inside Bobby Petrino’s Infamous Exit
One of the interview’s most compelling stories centered around the 2007 Falcons season and Bobby Petrino’s abrupt departure for Arkansas. Jenkins painted a picture of a fractured locker room before Petrino left and recalled how players learned the news after seeing television reports.
“We basically had letters in our lockers,” Jenkins said, describing how the coach informed players he was leaving.
@sudutv Falcons fans still remember where they were when Bobby Petrino left. Michael Jenkins takes us inside one of the wildest moments in franchise history. From finding out on TV to the letters waiting in every player’s locker. 🎙️ Full episode of Game Runs Deep available now. #atlantafalcons #bobbypetrino #riseup #nflstories #michaeljenkins @The Nest ATL
♬ original sound – Sudu
Catching Matt Ryan’s First NFL Touchdown
Jenkins will forever be linked to Matt Ryan’s NFL debut. Ryan’s first touchdown pass came on a strike to Jenkins against Detroit in 2008, launching a new era of Falcons football.
Jenkins said the play came directly from film preparation, crediting Ryan’s attention to detail and willingness to study defenses as a rookie.
That preparation, Jenkins believes, became one of Ryan’s defining characteristics throughout his career.
A Brotherhood in Atlanta
Beyond the wins and losses, Jenkins looked back fondly on one of the NFL’s most entertaining receiver rooms.
Alongside Roddy White, Harry Douglas, Brian Finneran, Eric Weems and others, the Falcons created a legendary “fine system” that held teammates accountable for everything from dropped passes to being late, and even some off-the-field antics.
@sudutv Some NFL locker rooms build chemistry. The Falcons’ WR room built chemistry by fining each other. 😂 Michael Jenkins shares hilarious stories about life with Roddy White, Harry Douglas, Eric Weems and Brian Finneran, and the fine system that kept everyone accountable. 🎙️ Full episode of Game Runs Deep out now. #atlantafalcons #riseup #nflstories #michaeljenkins #roddywhite
♬ original sound – Sudu
Life After Football
Today, Jenkins has traded football fields for operating rooms.
Working for medical technology company Stryker, he helps support neurosurgeons during complex spine and brain procedures while also serving as an studio analyst covering the Falcons for Fox 5 Atlanta.
Looking back on his football career, Jenkins hopes fans remember him for one simple trait.
“He was reliable… accountable… when he was out there, he did his job.”
