Can Jacoby Jones Shake the 'Dancing With the Stars' Curse?

Jacoby Jones is not the first NFL player to compete on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars", but he should be hoping that he does become the only player not to be affected by the curse that haunted to the previous four players' performance in the season following their participation in the competition. The previous contestants saw significant dropoffs in their on-field production after competing on the dance floor.

In 2008, Jason Taylor became the first active NFL player to compete on DWTS. Taylor was coming off 3 straight seasons in which he racked up at least 11 sacks. In the season following his stint on the show, however, Taylor recorded a measly 3.5 sacks. The fact that it was first season in Washington may have had something to do with that, though, as the 'Skins seem to a pit where talented free agents go to die. In 2010, Chad Ochocinco took his talents to the dance floor, but just as Taylor did, saw a decline in his on-field production. Ochocinco saw his receiving numbers drop from 1047 yards and 9 touchdowns to just 831 yards and 4 touchdowns. Steelers wideout Hines Ward was a participant the following season and saw his lowest receiving yardage total (381) since his rookie season and was removed from the starting lineup. The most recent participant prior to Jones , Packers receiver Donald Driver, caught just 8 passes all of last season for 77 yards. Jacoby Jones is coming off of the best season of his career in 2012 which included some awe-inspiring playmaking down the stretch in the playoffs. Especially with the recent loss of veteran Anquan Boldin, Ravens fans should be praying that Jones does not become the 5th victim of the "Dancing with the Stars" curse.