Rugby league star Jarryd Hayne retires from NFL for Olympic dream

[KamaAina]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/rugby-league-star-jarryd-hayne-retires-from-nfl-for-olympic-dream-172707650.html

The Jarryd Hayne story, in which the famous rugby league player turned down a massive contract in Australia to see if he could make it in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, was a unique one.

The NFL part of that story is done, though Hayne is off to add another chapter to his curious tale.

The 49ers announced Sunday that Hayne is retiring from the NFL. In a statement, Hayne said he's retiring from the NFL because he had an offer to join the Fiji Rugby Sevens team for this summer’s Olympic games in Rio....

"I am retiring from the NFL because the Fiji Rugby Sevens team reached out to me about the opportunity to join the team for the upcoming Olympics, and I simply could not pass that chance up," Hayne said. "The Olympics has been something I have admired since I was a little boy, and it is an opportunity I feel very similar to me joining the NFL."

Oh, for Pete's sake. The one thing about the Niners that didn't suck, and he bails on us for Fiji?!

[T_i_B]

1. Sevens?

Rugby Sevens is a great sport, but in all seriousness it's not nearly as well regarded as the 13 or 15 man codes.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Yeah, but Fiji are specialists at it, and it's the Olympics

I'd think they are medal contenders. In fact, it looks like he may not be good (or fit) enough to get the place in time: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/olympics/rio-2016/jarryd-hayne-faces-tough-task-to-make-olympics-after-uninspiring-debut-20160521-gp0r8z.html