Jonathon Jennings

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1992)}}

{{About|the gridiron football player|the politician|Jonathan Jennings}}

{{Infobox CFL biography

| name = Jonathon Jennings

| team =

| image = 2019, 03, Jonathon Jennings.jpg

| image_upright = 0.9

| caption = Jennings before a Redblacks game in 2019

| status =

| import = yes

| position1 = Quarterback

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|07|21}}

| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| number =

| college = Saginaw Valley State

| high_school = Westerville South

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 205

| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2015}}–{{CFL Year|2018}}

| playing_team1 = BC Lions

| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2019}}

| playing_team2 = Ottawa Redblacks

| statlabel1 = Pass completions

| statvalue1 = 1,086

| statlabel2 = Pass attempts

| statvalue2 = 1,637

| statlabel3 = Percentage

| statvalue3 = 66.3

| statlabel4 = TD–INT

| statvalue4 = 69–58

| statlabel5 = Passing yards

| statvalue5 = 13,651

| CFL = jonathon-jennings/160212

}}

Jonathon Jennings (born July 21, 1992) is an American former professional football quarterback who played for the BC Lions and Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He attended Saginaw Valley State University, where he played college football. Jennings made his professional debut for the Lions in 2015.

Early life and college

Jennings played high school football and basketball at Westerville South High School, where he was a first team All-League player as a senior.{{cite web |title=Jonathon Jennings |url=http://athletics.svsu.edu/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/jennings_jonathon_hgna |website=SVSU Cardinals |access-date=July 25, 2015}} From 2010 to 2013, he played for the Cardinals at SVSU, where he threw for 10,710 yards and 96 touchdowns at the Division II program.{{cite news |last1=Araki |first1=Michiko |title=GETTING TO KNOW JONATHON JENNINGS |url=http://www.bclions.com/article/getting-to-know-jonathon-jennings |access-date=July 25, 2015 |work=BC Lions |date=May 29, 2015}} As a senior, Jennings threw for 3,824 yards for 30 touchdowns, additionally rushing for 470 yards and 12 touchdowns.{{cite news |last1=Niziolek |first1=Michael |title=Kansas City Chiefs invite SVSU quarterback Jon Jennings to rookie mini-camp |url=http://www.mlive.com/cardinals/index.ssf/2014/05/kansas_city_chiefs_invite_svsu.html |access-date=July 25, 2015 |work=MLive |date=May 11, 2014}} He studied finance in college.

=College statistics=

Season	GP	Cmp	Att	Yds	TD	Int	Rate	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ ! colspan="2"\| General ! colspan="6"\| Passing ! colspan="4"\| Rushing
colspan="12" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Saginaw Valley State Cardinals}}"\| Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
2010 \| 9 \|\| 99 \|\| 168 \|\| 1,064 \|\| 9 \|\| 8 \|\| 120.3 \|\| 60 \|\| 111 \|\| 1.9 \|\| 1
2011 \| 11 \|\| 210 \|\| 309 \|\| 2,924 \|\| 29 \|\| 9 \|\| 172.6 \|\| 91 \|\| 416 \|\| 4.6 \|\| 7
2012 \| 11 \|\| 270 \|\| 420 \|\| 3,282 \|\| 27 \|\| 10 \|\| 146.4 \|\| 82 \|\| 291 \|\| 3.5 \|\| 6
2013 \| 12 \|\| 220 \|\| 340 \|\| 3,440 \|\| 31 \|\| 11 \|\| 173.3 \|\| 110 \|\| 527 \|\| 4.8 \|\| 12
[https://www.svsucardinals.com/sports/fball/2013-14/bios/jennings_jonathon_d8bb?view=career&pos=qb Career]	43	799	1,237	10,710	96	38	156.8	343	1,345	3.9	26

Professional career

= Early career =

Jennings was eligible for the 2014 NFL draft, but went undrafted. He tried out with several National Football League (NFL) teams prior to the 2014 season, including the Kansas City Chiefs, the Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers.{{cite news |last1=Yuille |first1=Sean |title=2014 Lions undrafted free agent tracker |url=http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/5/10/5704898/lions-undrafted-free-agents-2014 |access-date=July 25, 2015 |work=Pride of Detroity |date=May 10, 2014}} He also tried out with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL in April 2014.{{cite web |title=Jonathon Jennings |url=http://www.bclions.com/roster/show/id/7809 |website=BC Lions |access-date=July 25, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707062921/http://bclions.com/roster/show/id/7809 |archive-date=July 7, 2015 |df=mdy-all }} Jennings was not signed by any NFL or CFL teams in 2014, and did not play football professionally that year.

= BC Lions =

In April 2015, Jennings was signed by the BC Lions of the CFL. He competed for the back-up quarterback position on the depth chart, which he received in the season opener.{{cite news |last1=Beamish |first1=Mike |title=Back up QB battle gets interesting |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Back+battle+gets+interesting/11135840/story.html |access-date=July 26, 2015 |work=Vancouver Sun |date=June 14, 2015}}{{cite web |title=Depth Charts |url=http://www.bclions.com/depthchart |website=BC Lions |access-date=July 25, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722022543/http://www.bclions.com/depthchart |archive-date=July 22, 2015 |df=mdy-all }} Jennings recorded his first statistic on July 17 against the Roughriders, where he rushed for one yard on a quarterback sneak.{{cite news |last1=Bucholtz |first1=Andrew |title=Lions, Lulay run over Riders in a tale of teams going in different directions |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl-55-yard-line/travis-lulay-runs-over-saskatchewan-as-lions-improve-to-2-1--riders-fall-to-0-4-083550545.html |access-date=July 25, 2015 |work=Yahoo! Sports |date=July 18, 2015}} Due to injuries to starting quarterback Travis Lulay, Jennings played in eight regular season games, starting six, and started in the Lions' lone playoff game. Jennings completed 66% of his passing attempts for 2,004 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In his second career start, Jennings also caught a 21 yard touchdown pass on a contested catch thrown into double coverage by receiver Austin Collie on a trick play against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bclions.com/2015/10/05/jennings-and-brooks-earn-cfl-player-of-the-week-honours/|title = Jennings and Brooks earn CFL Player of the Week honours|date = October 5, 2015}} In March 2016, Lions GM and head coach Wally Buono announced that Jennings would enter training camp as the #1 quarterback on the depth chart (above veteran Lulay) and he hoped that Jennings would have earned that title by Week 1 of the 2016 regular season.{{Cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Lions+ready+reward+prime+pivot+Jennings+just/11758052/story.html |title=Lions not ready to reward prime pivot Jennings just yet |website=www.vancouversun.com |access-date=2016-03-03}} On May 5, 2016, Jennings and the Lions agreed on a contract extension through the 2018 CFL season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2016/05/05/lions-jennings-ink-extension-2018/ |title=Lions, Jennings ink extension through 2018 |date=2016-05-05 |website=CFL.ca |access-date=2016-05-05}} Prior to signing the extension, Jennings would have become a free-agent following the 2016 campaign.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/bc-lions-sign-jonathon-jennings-to-contract-extension-through-2018/article29888805/ |title=B.C. Lions sign Jonathon Jennings to contract extension through 2018 |website=The Globe and Mail |date=May 5, 2016 |access-date=2016-05-05}} Following a less than impressive 2017 season Jennings agreed to restructure his contract for the 2018 season; lowering his initial salary, but adding more on-the-field incentives.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/lions-re-work-contract-with-qb-jennings-1.966450|title=Lions re-work contract with QB Jennings – Article – TSN|date=2018-01-12|work=TSN|access-date=2018-01-13}} Jennings, who continued to struggle to start the 2018 season, was benched in favour of veteran Travis Lulay starting in Week 5.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/lions-lulay-to-start-against-bombers-1.1138379|title=Lions' Lulay to start against Bombers – Article – TSN|date=2018-07-13|work=TSN|access-date=2018-07-13}} Lulay suffered a concussion and separated shoulder in consecutive weeks, opening the door for Jennings to start for the remainder of the regular season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2018/09/07/lions-lulay-leaves-game-vs-redblacks-head-injury/|title=Lulay in concussion protocol after exiting vs. Ottawa – CFL.ca|date=2018-09-07|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-09-27|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2018/09/18/report-lions-expect-lulay-miss-4-6-weeks/|title=Report: Lions expect Lulay to miss 4–6 weeks – CFL.ca|date=2018-09-18|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-09-27|language=en-US}} Despite winning two of the following three games Jennings was once again relegated in favour of Lulay by Week 18.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2018/10/09/report-lions-qb-lulay-practising-starters/|title=Lulay, Sutton to start in Week 18 - CFL.ca|date=2018-10-09|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-10-10|language=en-US}} In late November, following the close of the season, Jennings informed the Lions that he would not be re-signing with the team, intending to become a free agent in February 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2018/11/27/report-jennings-informs-lions-hell-become-free-agent/|title=Report: Jennings informs Lions he'll become a free agent - CFL.ca|date=2018-11-27|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-11-28|language=en-US}}

= Ottawa Redblacks =

On February 13, 2019 Jennings agreed to a one-year contract with the Ottawa Redblacks for the 2019 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/13/redblacks-reach-deal-former-lion-qb-jonathon-jennings/|title=Redblacks reach a deal with former Lion QB Jonathon Jennings|date=2019-02-13|website=CFL.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-02-13}} Jennings began the season as the backup quarterback to Dominique Davis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2019/06/03/redblacks-name-davis-week-1-starter/|title=Redblacks Name Davis Week 1 Starter|date=2019-06-03|website=Ottawa Redblacks|language=en|access-date=2019-06-03}} Davis missed two games in July which elevated Jennings to the starting role. However, Jennings struggled in both outings, throwing for less than 200 yards combined with three interceptions and only one touchdown.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/2581/|title=2019-07-19 Game Tracker - Ottawa Redblacks vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2581)|website=CFL.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-08-20}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/2584/|title=2019-07-25 Game Tracker - Calgary Stampeders vs. Ottawa Redblacks (2584)|website=CFL.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-08-20}} In Week 11 Jennings came in relief of Davis after he threw three interceptions in the first quarter of the game: Jennings completed 16 of 26 pass attempts for 208 yards with one touchdown, but was unable to lead the Redblacks to victory.{{Cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2019/08/24/redblacks-bench-dominique-davis-after-three-interceptions-against-riders/|title=Redblacks bench Dominique Davis after three atrocious interceptions against Riders {{!}} 3DownNation|last=Staff|first=3Down|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-26}} As Davis continued to struggle, and the Redblacks fell to 3-7, the team chose to name Jennings' as their starting quarterback in Week 13: Despite throwing for 327 yards Jennings and the Redblacks were defeated 46-17 by divisional rival Toronto Argonauts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/2608/|title=2019-09-07 Game Tracker - Toronto Argonauts vs. Ottawa Redblacks (2608)|website=CFL.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-09-09}} Jennings was demoted to third stringer, and closed out the 3-15 Redblacks' season with a three rushing touchdown performance, but his passing statistics for the year were the worst of his career. He was released by the Redblacks on January 23, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2020/01/23/transactions-january-23-2020/|title=Transactions: January 23, 2020|date=January 23, 2020|website=Ottawa Redblacks|language=en|access-date=January 23, 2020}}

=Statistics=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="65%" style="text-align:center"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="2" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="9" | Passing

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="6" | Rushing

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Games

! Started

! Att

! Comp

! Pct

! Yards

! TD

! Int

! Rating

! Att

! Yards

! Avg

! Long

! TD

align="center"

| 2015

| BC

| 18

| 6

| 215

| 142

| 66.0

| 2,004

| 15

| 10

| 99.8

| 26

| 127

| 4.9

| 17

| 0

align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016

| BC

| 18

| 554

| 371

| 67.0

| 5,226

| 27

| 15

| 102.1

| 68

| 363

| 5.3

| 20

| 4

align="center"

| 2017

| BC

| 18

| 14

| 466

| 306

| 65.7

| 3,639

| 16

| 19

| 83.8

| 55

| 267

| 4.9

| 27

| 2

align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018

| BC

| 18

| 6

| 239

| 161

| 67.3

| 1,628

| 8

| 7

| 85.6

| 36

| 226

| 6.3

| 33

| 0

align="center"

| 2019

| OTT

| 18

| 6

| 163

| 106

| 65.0

| 1,154

| 3

| 7

| 74.0

| 29

| 102

| 3.5

| 13

| 3

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="2" | CFL totals

! 90

! 50

! 1,637

! 1,086

! 66.3

! 13,651

! 69

! 58

! 91.4

! 214

! 1,085

! 5.1

! 33

! 9

References

External links

[http://www.bclions.com/players/jonathon-jennings/160212/ Jonathon Jennings] at BC Lions
[https://www.cfl.ca/players/jonathon-jennings/160212/ Jonathon Jennings] at Canadian Football League
{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109110711/http://www.bclions.com/roster/show/id/7809 |date=November 9, 2015 |title=Jonathon Jennings at BC Lions (old link)}}
{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108110223/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/7809 |date=November 8, 2015 |title=Jonathon Jennings at CFL (old link)}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football quarterbacks

Category:Canadian football quarterbacks

Category:Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football players

Category:BC Lions players

Category:Players of American football from Columbus, Ohio

Category:Players of Canadian football from Columbus, Ohio

Category:Ottawa Redblacks players