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.
hooter
Guest
rudy ruttiger was a far better player.
Baz
Guest
Ian, stop being a w*nker.
Chop
Guest
it's more about the Aussies conquering the world/America... and of course, the media filled a dozen pages a day for weeks on end.
Kirk
Guest
Hayne > Roosters in 2016
peeeko
Guest
wht we have is a difference in definition. there is a difference between an amercian football player and a NFL player
Worlds Biggest
Guest
The Hayne Plane will get another crack, he just has to take care the ball !
Stevo
Guest
What it all means is that hopefully the Australian media and journos don't keep over hyping him every time he manages to touch the ball for 6 seconds in a whole game. Its quite frankly ridiculous. Fair play to him for making the 49er's team, but enough of the over hype for doing basically nothing during a game. he was never this hyped when he was winning state of origin games for NSW.
Mushi
Guest
How many a game? 3 or 4 maybe even then there is the hint on uncertainty. But then don't you put in a short yardage specialist who doesn't need space and never fumbles?
pjm
Roar Rookie
Tormusula is being found out. 49ers have displayed no vision at all and that would be case regardless of Hayne.
josh
Roar Rookie
that's a bit simplistic, there are a number of times defences know running plays are coming.
Bookie
Guest
Also like Ian said. A one dimensional Running Back should just get cut then. Like Ian said they won't put him on the field during a passing play because he can't block so the defenses will probably already know he's going to run it and I've seen hayne running from the backfield he's not really that amazing so they'll probably stop him every time from getting pass scrimmage. If he can't block or ever learn to block... he should just get dropped. Running Back is actually one of the easiest positions to learn in my opinion... don't really have to memorize routes like receivers do or defensive schemes like safeties and linebackers do. All he has to do is run the ball and learn how and when to block If he can't learn how to do the running back job he won't be able to learn any other position.
Bookie
Guest
Don't buy into the Australian media that says "pete carroll is interested" The seahawks are so stacked at Running Back and Punt Returning as well as Kick returning that Jarryd Hayne would end up on the practice squad or just straight up cut if he were to join the seahawks. The australian media saw a comment from a seahawk coach(wasn't even carroll) that said he liked jarryd hayne. They then grabbed that quote and titled it "seahawks are interested in trading for hayne" and that's far from the truth.
Bookie
Guest
Yeah but those aren't guys in the NFL by that logic... Jarryd Hayne is actually elite but that's far from the truth. In the NFL he's below average.
Ian
Guest
Your argument falls down at using him exclusively on running plays. That means every time he takes the field every man and his dog - including the opposition - know that a running play is coming. Can anyone say blitz?
Ian
Guest
I'm also looking for a spot on an NFL roster. I've never played a contact sport in my life and now overweight and lazy. Going by your logic I'm almost as good as Hayne.
josh
Roar Rookie
What's remarkable is how hopeless the 49ers are. The team is shambles. Pete Carroll has come out their interest (the Seahawks) in Hayne hasn't subsided. I read an article (on another site), whereby the 49ers coaching staff are saying Hayne needs to get his defensive reads down pat. Alternatively I'd say the 49ers, don't really know what do to with him. Here's a tip he's not your standard RB. Use him exclusively in run plays only. Use his skill set for your advantage, don't try and turn him into your typically RB because he's not, and probably won't ever be.
kevin dustby
Guest
but they are not in the NFL thus they dont count
Steve
Guest
What's more remarkable is that no league or union player who has attempted the switch has ever failed to make the 53 man roster -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Sam Rigney
Expert
It is remarkable. It's remarkable for a guy who grew up playing the game, let alone someone who grew up in Australia. I use this stat a lot but. "There are 15,588 senior student athletes playing football. 256 of those athletes will be drafted into the NFL. That's 1.6% of all NCAA seniors playing football that get drafted. . 008% of all high school athletes get drafted."
Sam Rigney
Expert
There are a bunch of free agents (literally hundreds) that are looking for a spot on an NFL roster. There are also guys that just get a run in the pre-season. Hayne was better than most in the pre-season, but compared to full-strength rosters he is middle of the road.