Rashad Jennings facts for kids
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Jennings (center) with the New York Giants in 2014
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| No. 23, 27 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | March 26, 1985 Forest, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 231 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg, Virginia) |
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| College: | Pittsburgh (2005) Liberty (2006–2008) |
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| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 7 / Pick: 250 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Rashad Andre Jennings (born March 26, 1985) is an American former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Rashad played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Liberty Flames. The Jacksonville Jaguars picked him in the 2009 NFL draft. Jennings also played for the Oakland Raiders and the New York Giants.
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Rashad Jennings: From High School to NFL Star
Early Life and High School Journey
Rashad Jennings started his high school football journey in Forest, Virginia. He was a fifth-string running back at Jefferson Forest High School. This means he was the fifth choice for that position. He didn't play in a game until the very last game of his junior year.
Rashad described himself as a "270 lb. chubby kid with asthma and glasses." He finally got to play when the four running backs ahead of him got injured. Even a wide receiver tried playing running back before Rashad. On his first play, he ran for a 30-yard touchdown! He scored two more touchdowns on defense that game. A scout from the University of Tennessee noticed him. The scout told Rashad to improve his grades, as his GPA was very low.
After this encouragement, Rashad moved to Lynchburg Christian Academy. His older brothers, who were coaches there, helped pay his tuition. At LCA, he lost weight and focused on his studies. He even had to repeat his junior year. In his junior and senior years, he was a top player. He gained 3,287 yards and scored 56 touchdowns. As a senior, he rushed for 1,978 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also played basketball.
College Football Journey
Jennings began his college career at Pittsburgh in 2005. He was one of the few true freshman running backs to start there. A true freshman is a first-year college student. In spring 2006, Jennings moved to Liberty. He wanted to be closer to his family.
He was suspended for the first two games of the 2007 season. But he still set a Big South Conference record. He gained 3,633 yards and scored 42 touchdowns. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry. On October 9, 2021, Liberty Flames honored him by retiring his number 23 jersey.
Playing in the NFL: A Professional Career
Rashad Jennings was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009. He was the 250th player picked overall. He scored his first touchdown in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. He ran for 29 yards. In his first year, he had 202 rushing yards and one touchdown.
In 2010, he had a great game against the Raiders. He rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown. He finished the 2010 season with 459 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 223 yards.
His 2011 season was cut short by injuries. He had a concussion and a knee injury. He was placed on injured reserve before the season began. In 2012, he started the season as the main running back. This was because the usual starter was holding out for a new contract. Rashad finished the season with 283 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Time with the Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders signed Jennings on April 11, 2013. He started as a backup player. But the main running back, Darren McFadden, was often injured. This meant Rashad started eight games. He played better than expected as a starter. His best game was against the Houston Texans. He rushed for 150 yards and an 80-yard touchdown. He finished the 2013 season with 733 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Playing for the New York Giants
On March 12, 2014, Jennings joined the New York Giants. He signed a four-year contract. He quickly became the starting running back. In Week 3 against the Texans, he rushed for 176 yards. He finished the 2014 season with 639 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
In 2015, Jennings started all 16 games. He had his best year, setting new personal records. He rushed for 863 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 29 passes for 296 yards and one touchdown. He played especially well in the last four games of the season.
In 2016, he played in 13 games. He rushed for 593 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown. On February 13, 2017, the Giants released him. Rashad Jennings announced his retirement from the NFL on December 8, 2017.
Life After Football: Dancing and Acting
After his NFL career, Rashad Jennings joined Dancing with the Stars. This is a popular TV show where celebrities dance with professional partners. He was on Season 24 in 2017. He was paired with professional dancer Emma Slater.
Rashad and Emma won the competition on May 23, 2017! It was Emma Slater's first win. Rashad became the fourth NFL player to win the show. He returned to the show several times. He was a guest dancer and even a guest judge.
Rashad also appeared in some TV shows. In 2016, he was in an episode of the STARZ series Power. In 2017, he was on Talk Show the Game Show. He also appeared in an episode of the NBC series Great News. In January 2019, Rashad was a guest co-host on the MTV show Catfish. In January 2020, he was a contestant on Guy's Grocery Games.
Images for kids
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Jennings (center) with the New York Giants in 2014
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Jennings in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Rashad Jennings para niños
