Valentine Holmes secures spot on New York Jets NFL roster

Valentine Holmes’ NFL dream is gathering formidable steam after the Queensland Origin star today secured a practice berth with the New York Jets - which left him ‘speechless’.

Valentine Holmes has been invited to join the NFL’s New York Jets.

• Holmes’ new home: Who are the New York Jets?

• Colman: The huge challenge still ahead for Holmes

“I am with the Jets, baby.”

With those words, Valentine Holmes’ NFL dream is gathering formidable steam after the Queensland Origin star today secured a practice berth with the New York Jets.

Just hours after returning to Australia on Monday, Holmes received a phone call from the Jets notifying him he has been added to their roster for the 2019 NFL season.

New York general manager Mike Maccagnan called Holmes on Monday night (Australian time) to confirm he had been placed with the Jets’ off-season roster under the NFL’s International Pathway Program.

Holmes said the announcement left him “speechless”.

I’m speechless. I don’t know where to start. Firstly I would like to thank the @nyjets for giving me the opportunity to join your organisation.

I’d like to thank my family, friends, fans, Chris and Gavin Orr from @pacific_sports for supporting me.!

New York here I come!! ✌🏽🏈 pic.twitter.com/CqqXxPd18l

— Valentine Holmes (@val_holmes1) April 9, 2019

The development rules out any hope of Holmes returning to the NRL this season.

It is a particularly crushing blow for the Queensland Origin team and the North Queensland Cowboys, who were tipped to secure Holmes’ signature had his NFL experiment backfired.

Valentine Holmes has been invited to join the NFL’s New York Jets.

But for now, his American football odyssey is alive and kicking, with Holmes now in the frame to emulate Jarryd Hayne by becoming the next NRL star to play in the NFL.

The 23-year-old still has some major work to do. Holmes has been added to the Jets’ roster under the IPP development system, meaning the Maroons ace will start the 2019 campaign operating as a practice player only.

There is a remote chance that Holmes could be activated on to the Jets playing roster, but regardless his placement with the team is evidence the former Cronulla premiership-winner is making impressive strides in his new sport.

It is understood his rookie deal is worth around $674,000 — no longer the major financial sacrifice he initially made after rejecting a $1m-a-season extension with the Cronulla Sharks to spend three months learning the nuances of American football at the IMG Academy.

Valentine Holmes arrived home in Sydney on Monday. Picture: Fatima Kdouh

Holmes will join fellow Aussie and fourth-year punter Lachlan Edwards at the Jets.

Other international players who have recently made the Jets’ regular-season roster include Australian punter Ben Graham (2005-08) and former Australian rugby union player Hayden Smith in 2012.

Holmes has added a whopping 8kg of muscle to his frame in the past three months but has lost none of his speed, clocking an impressive 4.45sec in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Workout last week.

Holmes will return to America in a fortnight to begin the most important chapter of his sporting career in his bid to make his NFL debut.