‘Dancing with the Stars’ spoilers: Jacoby Jones first confirmed cast member

Even though the full “Dancing with the Stars” cast is set to be announced Tuesday on “Good Morning America,” ABC decided to not wait to reveal every name at that time. During a commercial for the Academy Awards on Sunday night, the ballroom competition confirmed that Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and special teams star Jacoby Jones is officially going to be trading in cleats for dancing shoes beginning in March.

The selection of Jones, who did campaign openly for the job, comes as somewhat of a surprise. He is the first NFL player to take part in the show while in his 20s, and thus is taking a risk when it comes to his health. This is the time of year that football players need to rest their bodies, and he is still only a few weeks removed from winning the Super Bowl. If for some reason (knock on wood) that Jones suffers an injury, the Ravens won’t be too pleased by it.

For Jones, meanwhile, it’s easy to see why he would want the gig. “Dancing with the Stars” is a different sort of competition for him to work on, and this is a great way to promote your brand beyond just football. Jones was hardly  ahousehold name outside of Baltimore before the Super Bowl, and his chance to cash in is never going to be as high as it is now. He also has a good chance of going far, given that there have been multiple wide receivers (including Hines Ward and Donald Driver) who have won the show in the past.

Do you think that Jacoby is a great choice for the cast, or do you wish “Dancing with the Stars” had chosen an athlete who is a little older and a little more well-known? If you want to view some other semi-confirmed names, you can do so over at the link here.

Photo: ABC