 Jennings with the Tennessee Titans in 2018 | |||||||||||
| No. 10, 15 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver,return specialist | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | (1992-06-28)June 28, 1992 (age 32) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Gilman School (Baltimore, Maryland) | ||||||||||
| College: | Virginia | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2015 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Darius Lamar Jennings[1] (born June 28, 1992) is a formerAmerican footballwide receiver andreturn specialist. He playedcollege football atVirginia and was signed by theCleveland Browns as anundrafted free agent. Jennings was also a member of theChicago Bears,New York Jets,Tennessee Titans,Los Angeles Chargers, andDetroit Lions.
Darius Lamar Jennings was born to Lawrence and Dana Jennings on June 28, 1992, inBaltimore, Maryland. He attended and playedhigh school football at TheGilman School while also lettering in basketball and track.[2]
Jennings finished his collegiate career with 133 receptions for 1,667 yards and 11 touchdowns in 49 games and 28 starts.[3] He ranked #1 all-time in kick return yards with 1,839.[4]
Jennings majored in sociology.[4]
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2011 | Virginia | ACC | FR | WR | 13 | 20 | 238 | 11.9 | 1 |
| 2012 | Virginia | ACC | SO | WR | 12 | 48 | 568 | 11.8 | 5 |
| 2013 | Virginia | ACC | JR | WR | 12 | 38 | 340 | 8.9 | 3 |
| 2014 | Virginia | ACC | SR | WR | 12 | 27 | 521 | 19.3 | 2 |
| Career | 133 | 1,667 | 12.5 | 11 | |||||
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Jennings signed with theCleveland Browns as anundrafted free agent in May 2015.[5] He started the season on thepractice squad and was promoted to the active roster in early December.[6] Jennings was waived by the Browns on December 16, 2015,[7] but was re-signed on December 22.[8]
Jennings finished his rookie season with 14 receptions for 117 yards to go along with seven returns for 158 yards in four games and one start.[9][10]
On April 4, 2016, the Browns re-signed Jennings.[11] On September 3, 2016, he was released.[12] The next day, Jennings was signed to the Browns' practice squad.[13] He was released again on October 6, 2016.[14]
On October 10, 2016, Jennings was signed to theChicago Bears' practice squad.[15] He was released by the Bears on November 22, 2016.[16]
On December 6, 2016, Jennings was signed to theNew York Jets' practice squad.[17] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Jets on January 2, 2017.[18] On April 26, 2017, Jennings was waived by the Jets.[19]
On May 19, 2017, Jennings signed with theTennessee Titans.[20] He was waived on September 2, 2017, and was signed to the Titans' practice squad the next day.[21][22] He was promoted to the active roster on September 23, 2017.[23] He was waived on November 25, 2017, and was re-signed back to the practice squad.[24]
Jennings signed a reserve/future contract with the Titans on January 15, 2018.[25]
During the season-opening 27-20 road loss to theMiami Dolphins, Jennings scored his first NFL touchdown after returning a 94-yardkickoff return in the fourth quarter.[26] During a Week 9 28-14 road victory over theDallas Cowboys, Jennings had a 36-yard reception despite three defenders around him in the second quarter to go along with 23 return yards.[27] In the next game against theNew England Patriots, Jennings returned the opening kickoff for 58 yards and recorded a 21-yard pass completion to quarterbackMarcus Mariota, the first of his career as the Titans won 34–10.[28][29]
Jennings finished the 2018 season with 22 returns for 698 yards and a touchdown to go along with 11 receptions for 101 yards and a two-yard rush in 16 games and no starts.[30] His 31.7 yards set a franchise record for average kickoff returns that also led the NFL.[31]
Jennings was released by the Titans on October 31, 2019.[32] Prior to his release, Jennings caught two passes for 17 yards and returned seven kicks for 147 yards.[33] He was re-signed on December 23, 2019.[34] In the regular-season finale against theHouston Texans, Jennings returned two kicks for 49 yards.[35]
In the postseason, Jennings returned three kicks for 60 yards before the Titans lost to theKansas City Chiefs in theAFC Championship Game by a score of 35-24.
On March 30, 2020, Jennings was signed by theLos Angeles Chargers.[36] He was released on September 5, 2020.[37]
On August 9, 2021, Jennings signed with theDetroit Lions.[38] He was released on August 23, 2021.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career-high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2015 | CLE | 4 | 1 | 14 | 117 | 8.4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 158 | 22.6 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | TEN | 16 | 0 | 11 | 101 | 9.2 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 698 | 31.7 | 94T | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | TEN | 8 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 196 | 21.8 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 27 | 1 | 27 | 235 | 8.7 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1,052 | 27.7 | 94T | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2019 | TEN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 20.0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 20.0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
During the 2018 offseason, Jennings took part in the NFLPA’s Externship Program with Events DC and Under Armour. He helps out with "Next One Up," an organization helping inner-city high school athletes in Baltimore. Jennings also worked as a camp counselor at his alma mater, The Gilman (Md.) School, helping middle schoolers with classwork and activities. He has two brothers, Dimitrius Jones Jr. and Deon Jennings.[39]
Media related toDarius Jennings at Wikimedia Commons