Rashad Jennings announced his retirement from the NFL today in a message posted to his twitter page.
If good things don’t come to an end, then how can better things begin? I'm truly humbled. I'm truly excited… More to come on this. But for now, I just want to say THANK YOU. Thank you to everyone! #ShadHumbled pic.twitter.com/yNMbIsu01k
— Rashad Jennings (@RashadJennings) December 8, 2017
“Today marks the day that I officially announce my retirement from the NFL.” Jennings said on his twitter page.
Jennings, 32, last played in the NFL in 2016 with the New York Giants, where he led the team in rushing with almost 600 yards and scored four touchdowns. His career began in Jacksonville, when he was selected in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft and he spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars before going to Oakland for a season in 2013 and then signing a 4-year, $14 million deal with the Giants in 2014.
“I’m full, I am complete, I’m humble that I ever even got a chance to play in the NFL,” Jennings said. “I’m excited to see what God has in store for me next and if you know anything about me, that means life is just getting started.”
Even though he didn’t play a down of football in 2017, Jennings made national headlines, winning ABC’s Dancing with the Stars competition back in May.
Rashad became the fourth NFL player to win the competition, following in the footsteps of Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, and former Packers wideout Donald Driver.
Love it! Love it! Love it! @RashadJennings & @EmmaSlaterDance! @DancingABC #DWTS @NFL pic.twitter.com/ypxYG1912t
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 24, 2017
Throughout the competition, not only was Rashad Jennings’ dancing on display, but so was faith. Jennings is a graduate of Liberty and credits all of his success to his belief and trust in Jesus Christ.
“In Jesus, I see a man who was perfect. I see a man who knew where he was going,” Jennings told CBN. “He’s a man of love, he exemplifies it and he’s somebody I want to follow.”
In 2014, Jennings told Sports Spectrum that he strives more to be like our creator, the perfect one.
“We aren’t perfect, not one of us is perfection,” Jennings told us. “Only Christ is. It’s a journey and I mean that because it’s a daily devotion of growth, and you never get to the point where you figure it out. It’s tough sometimes, but the harder you work at something, the harder it is to surrender—that’s a quote from John Wooden.”
Click below to see the entire story of Jennings’ journey to the NFL from our 2014 edition of Sports Spectrum.
