Rashad Jennings spent this offseason building his brand off of the field. Now he wants to be back on it.
The former Giants running back was a fan favorite on this spring's installment of ABC's Dancing with the Stars -- which is currently in its 24th season, somehow. After winning the competition -- following in the footsteps of DWTS greats Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward and Donald Driver -- Jennings embarked on the *DWTS* summer tour, an expedition that is ongoing as training camp nears.
Jennings is still without a team after Big Blue released the tailback in February, but expects to be employed by the time the season kicks off. In fact, he believes his offseason of dancing and touring will actually help him secure a spot on some team's roster.
"I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm always going to be in shape," Jennings told The News & Advance, while hosting his 180 Weekend in Lynchburg, Virginia. "That's what I'm known for across the league. A team knows they're going to have a player that's going to be in the best shape of their life."
The eight-year veteran added: "Free agency right now, I'm going into year nine. I understand free agency and how it works. I feel like I'll be landing with a team in the next two months, but right now I feel I'm in such a peaceful place in my life, though, from transitioning to another team, transitioning to other things outside of football, doing all the philanthropic work that I do. I'm just in a peaceful place."
Jennings is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons, during which he ran for just 593 yards at 3.3 yards per carry. As New York's season wore on, the back saw more and more of his carries go the way of rookie Paul Perkins, who usurped Jennings on the depth chart this offseason.
It's very likely Jennings gets a shot as a backup somewhere this season, though he'll have to settle for less than last season's $2.2 million price tag.
He may be out of football and training on his own for now, but in two months time, look for Jennings to be back dancing in the backfield, with Cary Ann Inaba nowhere in sight.
