SANTA CLARA — He has played 10 NFL seasons, been selected to a Pro Bowl and made a lot of money playing the cornerback position.
But some form of introduction is still in order.
“I’m Jackrabbit,” he told a couple of reporters in the 49ers’ locker room on Wednesday afternoon.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Janoris Jenkins entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick of the Rams — when the Rams were still in St. Louis. But he has answered to his nickname, Jackrabbit, since his college career began at Florida in 2008.
“I’ve been Jackrabbit everywhere,” Jenkins said. “That’ll never change. What Kyle [Shanahan] and what everybody’s going to call me is Jackrabbit.”
The 49ers called Jenkins a lot this season as he went through physical therapy following an arthroscopic cleanup procedure on his ankle.
There was nothing more to the timing of Jenkins signing with the 49ers’ practice squad this week other than Jenkins finally felt the time was right.
San Francisco 49ers
“They were calling me for a minute,” Jenkins said. “It was on me. I told them, ‘I’m not ready. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.’ ”
Jenkins joins the 49ers as an insurance policy behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir. The 49ers’ backup cornerbacks are Ambry Thomas and Sam Womack. Jenkins joins veteran Dontae Johnson on the practice squad.
“We’ve been in contact with him for a little bit, and he was willing to do it [sign on the practice squad],” Shanahan said. “I’ve always been a fan of Janoris. I know most people have.
“He’s played at a very high level in this league, and to get a player who’s been like that throughout his career to come to our practice squad, we felt pretty fortunate.”
Jenkins has earned more than $74 million in his career, per Spotrac.com. Yet, he said he had no qualms about signing a practice squad contract with the 49ers.
“I’m here,” he said. “I don’t care about all that. I know what I came here to do. I’ll do what I got to do.”
He said he made a few calls to find out more about the 49ers organization before committing to sign. He liked what he heard.
Although Jenkins said he did not watch much football this season as he concentrated on getting prepared for another opportunity, he knew enough about the 49ers to know that he could fit in nicely.
“They got a nice defense,” he said. “I like the way they play.”
At 34, Jenkins has started 138 of the 142 NFL games in which he has appeared with the Rams, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans. He has 27 interceptions in his career.
The last time he picked off a pass was last season in Tennessee’s Week 16 game against the 49ers. He intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo’s pass in the end zone intended for George Kittle in the first quarter.
RELATED: Bosa honored as November's NFC Defensive Player of the Month
Jenkins said he is focused on getting back up to speed and into playing condition. He’ll let the 49ers’ decision-makers take it from there, beginning this weekend when the 49ers face the Miami Dolphins and their speedy wide receivers.
“Whatever they do to me, I don’t know,” Jenkins said. “I’m going to go out here to work and get better every day.”