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Jarryd Hayne hysteria reached epic new heights this time last week when the 49ers rookie was a healthy scratch for the first time in his brief NFL career.
Why Hayne was inactive seems fairly straightforward. His three fumbles in six games. The return of Reggie Bush and Bruce Ellington.
Hayne’s pass-blocking struggles, which were highlighted when he looked totally confused during a Ravens’ blitz in Week 6 that ended with the sack of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
His inability to establish himself on the 49ers offense despite a horrible injury toll and awful record.
Still Hayne fans were incensed. And once the initial shock wore off, they wanted to know what it meant for Hayne’s once burgeoning NFL career?
There were those alarmists who labelled it the beginning of the end. They would have you believe Hayne’s days in the NFL were numbered.
While others called for calm and reason. But I think it’s simple. Hayne being inactive was a dose of reality.
Hayne the NRL player is never going to be Hayne the NFL player. He is not destined to be a star in this league. He is a fringe-starter. A special teamer. Another name on the depth chart. And that is okay.
There is nothing wrong with that. To make the 49ers’ 53-man roster was an incredible achievement and a feat I thought was beyond him. But he proved the doubters wrong and had an incredible pre-season.
It turns out the NFL regular season is a whole different ball game.
Hayne is better than your average NFL player, but he has never been content with being average.
He is a competitor and is used to getting his hands on the ball and making an impact. This season he has spent the majority of his time on the sideline, waiting for an opportunity.
So when it does come, he is so eager to impress and produce that he has been forced into uncharacteristic errors.
As a result, the impact he makes is more often negative than positive.
Hayne always had the physical traits to get a look-in with an NFL team. He showed over the last 12 months he has the drive to overcome adversity and learn the playbook.
All along he would have been telling himself if he holds onto the ball and doesn’t fumble then he could wind up being anything.
But, alas, fumbling, whether it causes a turnover or not, is a cardinal sin in the NFL.
Some players who fumble twice in one game are never sighted again. It’s that fickle. And now Hayne is on the outside looking in.
He will be hoping for an opportunity, a second chance to prove he belongs in the NFL. They are rarely granted. But let’s hope Hayne is one of the lucky ones.
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