Jarryd Hayne arrives home in Sydney amid uncertainty over NFL future

JARRYD Hayne has returned home to Sydney following a dramatic rookie NFL season — and the ex-NRL star has opened up on his uncertain future.

Jarryd Hayne Returns

Flanked by his family, Jarryd Hayne arrived home from his rookie NFL season with the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday afternoon vowing to return to America and fulfil his dream.

The Hayne Plane landed in Sydney with a big smile on his face as he was greeted by family and a huge media scrum after a six-hour delayed flight from the United States.

Just 15 months after shocking the rugby league world by announcing he was quitting the NRL, the former Parramatta Eel has achieved his goal of becoming a professional NFL player.

Despite making progress in his maiden season at San Francisco, Hayne still faces an uncertain future following the sacking of head coach Jim Tomsula – the man who convinced him to link with the 49ers over Detroit.

The 49ers announced Tomsula had been, “relieved of his duties as head coach”, just two hours after the club’s final round extra-time victory over the St Louis Rams on Sunday.

Hayne only made one tackle late in the fourth quarter while on the special teams defensive unit against the Rams with the 49ers opting to play DuJuan Harris, Kendell Gaskins and Mike Davis at running back, while Bruce Ellington was selected as punt returner.

I gotta learn to drive on the left side of the road again 󾌵󾍁󾍁󾌵

Posted by Jarryd Hayne on Tuesday, January 5, 2016

With Tomsula no longer in charge at San Francisco, Hayne’s future at the franchise will largely depend on who is named new head coach.

The ex-league back also has no guarantees in the final two years of his contract and the 49ers are free to cut him at any time, plus he will face fresh competition when he returns next April and starts training with a 90-man squad that will be cut to 53 before the 2016-17 season begins in September.

Despite this ruthless reality, the former Test and Origin representative is remaining optimistic about his future at the 49ers.

“That’s the plan,” Hayne said when asked about his desire to return to San Francisco under a new coach next season.

Good to be home!! Where is the sun tho??

Posted by Jarryd Hayne on Tuesday, January 5, 2016

“Obviously with the new coach on board hopefully he wants me back and if that’s the case I’ll be back in California.”

Asked if he had accomplished everything he wanted in his rookie NFL season, Hayne replied:

“I guess I achieved when I left. That was it to chase the dream. I did that and everything else was a bonus.

“It has been incredible.”

Hayne was particularly grateful for all the backing he has received throughout his journey, in San Francisco and at home in Australia.

“All the support has probably been the biggest thing for me,” he enthused.

“All the support I received back here and definitely in California with the 49ers fans.

“To see so many Australians in the crowd. It was really good in that last game to hear the Aussie chant happening.

Jarryd Hayne has arrived home in Sydney.

“That brought a smile. Obviously when you’re on the sideline you are zoned into the game and not wanting to be distracted, but I couldn’t help but smile and give them a wave.”

TOMSULA

As the man who lured him to the 49ers over Detroit and genuinely believed in his ability, Hayne says he’ll be forever grateful to Jim Tomsula.

“Jim was huge for me,” Hayne said about Tomsula, who was sacked by the 49ers after steering the club to a substandard 5-11 season.

“He was a massive reason why I signed at the Niners.

“He did everything he could to give me game time and to put me out there, so “I’m hugely thankful for Jim and everything he did for me.”

LEARNING CURVE

There’s no doubting Hayne has the ability to succeed in the NFL – a fact proven in his maiden season with the 49ers.

Jarryd Hayne is hopeful about returning to the 49ers next season.

The 27-year burst onto the scene in San Francisco with some scintillating pre-season form, before a dropped punt reception on debut brought him crashing back to earth.

Hayne was relegated to the 49ers’ practice squad for six weeks, but he says this demotion was invaluable to learn about the subtle skills required to succeed in the NFL and learn from the best in the business.

“It was great being in the practice squad,” Hayne beamed.

“Obviously I got a lot of reps at running back.

“I had to mimic the other teams that we were playing.

“We played some really good teams. We played against the Falcons (Atlanta) against Devonta Freeman who is one of their best rushers.

“And the Seattle Seahawks, where it was Marshawn (Lynch) and Thomas Rawls.

Jarryd Hayne played eight matches for the 49ers in his rookie NFL season.

“We worked extremely hard and all the guys do.

“That’s probably one of the biggest thing that everybody works really hard and for me to give them the opportunity in those last two games, I was very thankful.

“I really didn’t realise how much I was going to play in that Detroit game, so that was huge and gave me a lot of confidence and being out there for a long period.”

As for bringing the 49ers’ playbook home to study this summer, Hayne jokingly said that wouldn’t be required.

“No, it is pretty much embedded in my brain,” he smiled.

“If anything, it’s going to be the task to switch off.

“Obviously with the play-offs coming up, it’s going to be fun watching that and “I guess diagnosing their defence and offence.

“It’s always fun.

“I’m still a student of the game, so there is always going to be a learning process that I enjoy.”

THE FUTURE

There’s no questioning Hayne has come a long way in a short period of time, but he still needs to master the instinctual plays of his experienced rivals, including blocking, to remain in the NFL long-term.

That said, the ex-league star has the right hardworking attitude and that will put him in good stead for success upon his return to the 49ers next season.

Hayne’s proud father Manoa Thompson has no doubts his son will continue to fulfil his NFL dream that seemed so unlikely just 15 months ago.

“There is criticism, but people don’t understand what he has gone through,” Thompson grinned.

“All the hard work is there and now it has paid off.”