Jarryd Hayne determined to succeed in NFL with San Francisco 49ers
JARRYD Hayne is determined to succeed in the NFL despite conceding that there have recently been “dark days” where concern, homesickness, even self doubt have gripped him.
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JARRYD Hayne, soon after being dumped by the San Francisco 49ers, found himself in church.
Which was a rarity.
One of only two visits this committed Christian had been able to attend since, overnight, igniting the NFL — then subsequently fumbling, stumbling and, hook, you’re gone.
“And the great message I got from church,’’ Hayne recalls, “was that God never said any of this would be easy.
“Only that it’s going to be worth it.”
Right now, nothing is coming easy for Jarryd Lee Hayne.
Australia’s greatest sports story back in September, this kid from Minto Housing commission stock has since spilled his first NFL touch, been cut from the roster and that whopping weekly income of US$37,000 ... well, somebody went and removed a zero.
All up, life changing so dramatically that even his recently-released clothing line, complete with schmick personal logo, is “a risk for me financially’’.
None of which, you should know, Hayne considers a negative.
Opening up for the first time since being axed from the 49ers roster, the Aussie superstar concedes that, yes, there have recently been “dark days” where concern, homesickness, even self doubt have gripped him.
“Times where I’ve got down on myself,’’ he concedes. “Still, while it’s been tough, while there have been a couple of dark days where its been hard to keep my head up, this is where I want to be.”
And why?
“Because being uncomfortable, I like it,’’ he told The Daily Telegraph from his Californian home.
“I know people back home are writing stories about me returning to the NRL, and I understand that.
“Because for the normal person, if you’re in a situation like I am, the response would be to go into your comfort zone and return home.
“But I’m not normal. I’m unique.”
Which is why, the NFL punt returner insists, we should consider his return to that famed gold helmet a matter of when, not if.
“The whole point of coming here, it was to fight through days like I’m in now,’’ Hayne continues.
“Since being put back onto the practice squad, the improvement in my game has been massive.
“And I know that if I can come this far in 12 months, by 24 months ... the difference in my game is going to be like day and night.
“I know that. I can see it.
“And people around me, they may not be able to see it. But I do.
“And that’s why I’m staying ... I know how much better I’m going to get.”
This is why Hayne also said he has no interest in talk of Roosters supremo Nick Politis wanting him at Bondi Junction. Ditto, the Blue and Gold Army or Phil Gould out at Penrith.
“For me, there hasn’t once been a thought about returning to the NRL,” he insists. “Not one.”
No, instead, he stays uncomfortable.
Indeed, back in September, when his jersey was the highest seller on NFL.com, Hayne was on a three-year deal worth $2.3 million. But then he got cut — and dropped straight to the practice squad minimum of US$6600 a week.
“Which is about $3500 after tax,’’ the former NSW Origin star laughs. “And I’m renting in the middle of Silicon Valley, where everyone else is loaded.”
Indeed, with rent taking more than a third of his weekly salary, Hayne has teamed up with companies like Urban Flats and AirBnB to remove some of “the financial strain”.
“It’s funny because, what I’m paying here, I could get a penthouse on the beach in Sydney,’’ he continues. “But none of that worries me.
“I just kept reminding myself how, when I first started this journey, the end goal for this season was always to make the practice squad.
“That’s where I wanted to be.
“But then, I not only made the squad, I made the roster. And after that, I not only made the roster but got out there on the field and made plays.
“Had some decent runs.
“So now this talk of me coming home? I’m not giving up because this whole thing has just got hard.”
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