The startled cameraman nearly dropped his high-priced equipment, drawing a hearty laugh from Jenkins.
It was quite a contrast to less than three weeks earlier, when the Panthers were on the verge of imploding and the Pro Bowl defensive tackle was a few feet away in the same locker room, accusing his teammates of having no heart.
It was the same day receiver Steve Smith was seen screaming at offensive coaches through a sideline phone, as booing fans were streaming out of their home stadium with another dismal loss assured. With quarterback Jake Delhomme gone to a season-ending elbow injury, the Panthers were staring at a lost season.
But then coach John Fox did what he does best: rallying his players when all appears lost. He passed around his familiar us-against-the-world tonic. The Panthers somehow won two straight games on the road with a makeshift lineup that included 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde.
So as players prepared to leave for their bye weekend, the Panthers' locker room was a playful and bizarre place. Jenkins was clowning around at one end with the same teammates he had called out. On the other side, the gray-haired Testaverde was holding court after a remarkable performance in leading the Panthers to a win four days after signing.
Despite the turmoil, the injuries, the 0-2 home record and a budding quarterback controversy, the Panthers are 4-2 and tied atop the NFC South.
"I think that's a tribute to our coaches and our players," general manager Marty Hurney said. "Everybody has stepped up and done their jobs. Really, these last two games have been close, hard-fought games. Those are the types of games you have to win in this league."
The trouble is, things are about to get much more difficult. Carolina's four wins have come against St. Louis (0-6), Atlanta (1-5), New Orleans (1-4) and Arizona (3-3), which was playing a third-string quarterback.
Next up, a home game with Super Bowl champion Indianapolis. Then a trip to Tennessee. The Panthers still have to visit Green Bay and Jacksonville and host Seattle and Dallas.
If the Panthers really have heart and passion now, it'll soon be tested. Yes, they've won two straight games since their players-only meeting following Jenkins' outburst, but there are still plenty of questions.
It starts at quarterback. David Carr, signed in the offseason, took over when Delhomme went down. But when Carr got hurt, Testaverde rode in from his couch on Long Island and is now the talk of the town.
Fox made it clear from the day Carr was signed that Delhomme was his No. 1 QB. But Fox wouldn't make Carr the starter for the Indianapolis game on Oct. 28. So why has he changed his tune now that Carr's the incumbent? Does he not have confidence in a guy that's been sacked 254 times in six seasons?
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