He may have only dressed eight times for the 49ers, rushing for 52 yards and 27 receiving, but Jarryd Hayne’s NFL career was a success according to fellow Aussie, New York Giants punter Brad Wing.
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Speaking exclusively to Sporting News, Wing claims Hayne’s ability to turn pro with relatively little experience marks Hayne's short stint in the NFL as a success.
“There are so little numbers available – there are not many NFL jobs– and there are a lot of guys who want this dream who work hard,” Wing said.
“Jarryd had a great career, even though it was a short one. He did a lot of good things over here; I think he got a lot further than people thought he would, having never played the sport before. “
“It was good to see another Aussie over here do his thing. Any time you get a chance to see another guy from Australia do his thing is good. “
Seven games into a three-year contract extension with the Giants, Wing also revealed how he overcame the harsh reality of life in the NFL and being cut by his first team, Philadelphia.
“It was tough, it was a very humbling time,” he said.
“I didn’t think it was going to go that way and it did so I had to make a big decision: am I going to continue to pursue this or am I going to throw in the towel?”
“I made the decision with the help of my parents and close friends, they just said, ‘give it another shot, stick with it, we believe in you.’”
“It was really the motivation from my close circle around me that kept me going.”
After a starring role in college, the adjustment to life in the NFL was as eye-opening as it was ruthless. “In college, every other week you’re playing a relatively good returner but in the NFL every single Sunday the guy back there is unbelievable,” Wing said.
“You have to be on all the details every single rep, everything has to be perfect. If you give any of these guys the smallest chance they’ll take it and run with it.”
