Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles faced the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
But for Philadelphia tight end and former Chancellor High School standout E.J. Jenkins, the road trip was just beginning.
Around 3 a.m. Friday, Jenkins and his Georgia Tech college sweetheart, Taylor Grimes, left the stadium and drove straight to Virginia, where his alma mater was holding festivities leading up to its annual hall of fame induction.
“It’s always good to come home, especially for moments like this,” Jenkins said. “I saw a whole lot of familiar faces, and it’s great how Chancellor recognizes people from the past. I’m extremely honored to be a part of this.”
Jenkins made several appearances at Chancellor this past weekend. On Friday, he attended the Chargers’ varsity football game against Culpeper and was among several individuals recognized at halftime.
The following night, he attended the official Hall of Fame induction ceremony and reflected on his time in Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Chancellor’s other 2025 inductees included: Emma Bernard; Paul Lewis; Jayla Harris; Gabriel Soriano; Sarah Holse; and Paul Gladden.
“We had another wonderful Hall of Fame class this year, and it’s not often we have an NFL player here,” said Chancellor Athletic Director Len Carlson.
EJ Jenkins (center) shakes hands with Brett Gibbons, one of his former high school coaches. (Photo by Jamar Billingsley)
Growing up in Spotsylvania County, Jenkins attended Smith Station Elementary, Freedom Middle, and graduated from Chancellor High in 2017. Although Carlson and Jenkins don’t know each other personally, Carlson recalled seeing Jenkins’ name in the newspaper often during his high school glory days.
“I heard he was a great kid coming up, and everyone always said he was very mature for his age,” Carlson said. “Our first interaction was when he was home from college, and I saw him in the weight room. He’s always welcome on our campus. It’s cool when he’s here.”
Making it to the NFL is a dream few athletes realize, and Jenkins credited his former teachers, Coach Brett Gibbons, and Gibbons’ brother for helping him along the way. He also reflected on the memory of his high school head coach, the late Bob Oliver, whom he affectionately referred to as “Coach O.”
Jenkins is the first athlete from Chancellor to be named Male Athlete of the Decade, for 2011 to 2020. He starred at wide receiver for the Chargers and still holds school records for career receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, longest receiving touchdown, most touchdowns in a season, and most receiving touchdowns in a game. He was also named Male Athlete of the Year for the 2015 to 2016 football season.
But the football field wasn’t the only place Jenkins excelled. He also earned honors as a forward in basketball and played a vital role on Chancellor’s track team, competing in the high jump, long jump, and the 100 and 200 yard relays.
Jenkins began his collegiate football career at FCS-level St. Francis University, where he played from 2017 to 2020. In 2021 he transferred to South Carolina before finishing his college career at Georgia Tech in 2022. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighted his impressive pro day performance, noting his speed, size, and explosiveness.
Jenkins’ preparation paid off when he signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Later that year, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a contract before he finished the season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Making the most of his NFL opportunities, Jenkins returned to the Eagles for a second stint in 2024, where, as a reserve, he appeared in eight games and helped Philadelphia capture the Super Bowl LIX title this past February.
“I’m happy he is happy, and it was awesome celebrating with him, Carlson said. “It was great that he was able to hang out with us for two days in a row. He didn’t have to do this, and I truly feel like EJ was honored to be here. He’s taken pride in being inducted into Chancellor’s Hall of Fame.”
