With one week to go before the big season premiere, we're taking a look at NFL free agent running back Rashad Jennings!
Rashad began playing football in high school in his home state of Virginia, and ended up continuing his pursuit of the sport at the University of Pittsburgh and later, Liberty University. Soon after, he was recruited to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009, the team he played for until 2013, when he signed with the Oakville Raiders.
In 2014, Rashad signed to play for the New York Giants for four years. Once his contract was finished in 2017, the team released him, and he is currently a free agent.
Rashad's Dancing With the Stars partner is Emma Slater, who has competed on six seasons of the show as a professional and was in the troupe for a few seasons before that. Prior to joining DWTS, Emma danced on Broadway and was a cast member in the 200 film adaptation of the musical Mamma Mia!
Some highlights of Emma's time on DWTS so far include:
@TheBentleyNinja: I’m not too sure why, but this is the first time I am really looking forward to a football player being on Dancing With the Stars. I’m not a big football fan myself, but the fact that it seems like Rashad will be Emma’s best partner she’s ever had as well as the fact that they seem to have a great friendship by the looks of their social media pages, I am all on board with this team. (Not to mention that this team was my first pick for my fantasy draft.) I thought it was weird that Rashad was chosen to dance on DWTS considering that he doesn’t even have a football team at the moment due to his contract with the New York Giants, but then I realized that he was probably signed up for the show before getting let go, so it kind of makes sense. And I do feel bad for him about being let go, but at least now he is able to take on a whole new animal with a dancing reality competition show!
Apparently Rashad isn’t considered to be an immediate “ringer” on the show, but I beg to differ. To state the obvious, he is an athlete, and since he is a running back, that gives him more of an advantage than if he were someone like a quarterback because of the higher level of athleticism needed for his position. And as I said in the fantasy draft post, it already looks like Rashad has some moves with his dancing on the football field, so I think that it will translate really well to the dance floor.
This is the season for Emma that we’ve all been waiting for. She is finally dancing with a partner who immediately seems capable enough for some tough choreography and tricks that require a lot of strength and skill. Emma seems like a really fun person to hang out with, and if that really is the case, then it should also apply to dancing.
@dwtsdreams: Emma and Rashad; writing these two names made me smile ear to ear. I am so ecstatic to see this partnership on the dance floor. Rashad has become one of my favorite celebrities this season even though I didn't really know who he was before he signed on to do the show. His infectious energy and his willingness to learn has made me love him. He seems like an incredible guy and I am so happy that America will get to know him.
Emma seems flabbergasted that Rashad is her partner in some sense. He is athletic, capable, is hip, has a good fan base; everything Emma hasn't had (besides maybe a little part of it with Hayes). I think they are going to be an incredible team and I wouldn't be surprised if they made it to the Finals! In fact, I definitely think they have a huge chance!
Rashad is the whole package and in my opinion a total ringer! He has a drive to win, is competing, is hip and modern, has a great personality, is kind, like c’mon people!
This season is Emma’s season to shine! She has a partner who can lift her and who is athletic. I am so excited to see Emma’s full potential as a choreographer because I don't even think she has been allowed to touch the surface with her previous partnerships. I am so ready to see her creative juices flow and kill this season!
@juliadelbel: I agree with pretty much everything Dreams and Bentley said and while I'm very excited about this partnership and am enjoying everything they've been posting on social media so far I have surprisingly little to say about them right now.
Rashad's fanbase is questionable at the moment with him being a free agent, but the most important thing on this show is the ability to win over the general audience and I think this team has it. Rashad seems to be a hardworking and a good dancer, and likeable (he even has his own charity!) and I think the fact that Emma has not had a lot of capable partners in the past may work in their favor because I am sure she has so many tricks up her sleeve she has not been able to use until now! Plus, Rashad not exactly being a ringer will probably give the anti-ringer crowd a good candidate to root for.
This is another team I'm strongly considering making my winner pick but I still haven't made up my mind quite yet.
TOMORROW: This birthday girl has quite a few gold medals (and some #GoldenGiggles to boot!)
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