Caldwell Addresses Report Of Lions Working Out Rugby Star Jarryd Hayne
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Rugby star Jarryd Hayne quit the sport to pursue a career in the NFL, and he reportedly received an invitation to work out with the Detroit Lions. Head coach Jim Caldwell said he did not know whether a tryout ever took place.
"I can't tell you much about that," Caldwell said during his Monday press conference. "I know who he is, obviously, but I don't know what I'm supposed to tell you. I have no knowledge of it in that regard.
"It could be, it could be a personnel issue, but I'm not aware of it," Caldwell added. "Our focus is pretty narrow this time of the year, so getting out of that realm, it's hard to do, but it could happen. One thing is there are a lot of good athletes around this country, and there are a bunch of them playing other sports - basketball, baseball, rugby, which is similar to our sport, and there's a lot of carryover, so we'll see."
Several articles intimate that Lions running back Reggie Bush sparked interest in Hayne with his glowing comments about the rugby star, whom he saw during a summer trip to Australia.
"He actually looks like an NFL running back," Bush said at the time, according to the Guardian. "Looks like he could come play with us tomorrow. He's fast, strong and ... wow. Look at that hit. That's an NFL football hit. I like this guy."
It sounds as though Hayne could be quite a ways from contributing to an NFL team on game days, however, at least according to his own assessment of making the jump from rugby to the NFL.
"The overall plan is for 12 months and to do as much training as I can and to prepare and to learn all the routes, learn all the schemes," Hayne said, per the Guardian. "I just want to get the basics down pat.
"I know a bit but obviously it's a lot more strategic and a lot more in-depth, the NFL," Hayne continued. "It's like anything, you can prepare as much as you can. But when you're in the heat of the battle, it's a totally different thing."
Two weeks before he announced his decision to leave rugby, the 26-year-old Hayne had been voted the league's best player for the second time, according to the Associated Press, and was renowned for his "acceleration and counter-attacking prowess," traits he believes would make him ideal as a punt returner or kick returner.
