Rashad Jennings -- 9 things to know about the 'Dancing with the Stars' celebrity

Rashad Jennings is one of four celebrities left, ready to duke it out in the semifinals round of Dancing with the Stars' 24th season. 


Rashad is a 32-year-old running back who is currently a free agent in the NFL.

NFL players have found great success on Dancing with the Stars, and Rashad is definitely one of them. He has wowed the judges and audience week to week with his rhythm and natural ability. He also has a fun personality and comfortable onstage presence.

Rashad has been considered a frontrunner for weeks now, but will he be able to take it all the way with his professional partner Emma Slater, who is very dedicated to his journey on the show? Fans look forward to seeing what the couple will bring to the table in the next show on Monday, May 15.

Below is a list of 9 facts Reality TV World has compiled about Rashad Jennings:


- The 6'1" athlete was born on March 26, 1985 in Forest, VA. He was a self-described "chubby kid with asthma and glasses."

- At age 13, Rashad was hospitalized for a week and told by doctors he couldn't own a dog, run or be around cigarettes due to his lungs.

He said he was on his death bed but overcame the odds by working towards his big dream of playing pro football.

- He tends to master any skill he attempts, including playing guitar, archery and poetry. He takes up a different hobby every offseason of football, and this year, he chose dance over learning a foreign language. 

- The Dancing with the Stars contestant was mentored in football by his two older brothers.


They coached his private high school team at Lynchburg Christian Academy for free in order for Rashad to attend the school.

- Rashad began his college career at University of Pittsburgh in 2005 but then transferred to Liberty in Spring 2006.

He left Pittsburgh after only one season as a starting freshman in order to be closer to home and his father, who was diagnosed with diabetes and had both of his legs amputated.

- Rashad never drank alcohol or smoked a day in his life to make a strong statement to his father, who struggled with alcoholism. 

- Rashad was drafted in 2009 in the seventh round by the Jacksonville Jaguars -- where he spent four seasons -- was signed by the Oakland Radars in 2013 for one season, and signed a four-year contract with the New York Giants in 2014.


- Rashad was ranked one of the number one NFL safeties in 2015. In a breakout season in 2015, he started every game and set career highs in carries, rushing yards, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

- He is the founder of the Rashad Jennings Foundation and is dedicated to inspiring youth by making education fun, providing mentorship for individual success, and promoting health and fitness.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski