Jarryd Hayne has finally completed his quest for an NFL career after making the San Francisco 49ers’ final roster cut on Sunday. The former Eel’s transition has not only inspired many from Australia to know more about American football, but also encouraged 49ers coach Jim Tomsula to call out other Australian athletes to follow Hayne’s successful NFL footsteps.

Hayne’s journey from one of Australia’s premier rugby league athlete to playing American football has been the 49ers’ preseason story. Even before Hayne’s inclusion in the club’s final roster, numerous elite NRL, union and AFL players were already contemplating on following his footsteps in the NFL. But, after a consistently superb showing during his preseason stint with San Francisco, Tomsula may have had the right chance to persuade foreign athletes, especially Australians, to try American football.

"Hey, if you have a lot of skill out there and you're somewhere else in the world and you can run fast, hit hard and can catch a ball, throw a ball or tackle, this is a place for you," Tomsula said, the ABC reported. "Everybody come here."

Tomsula’s stretch as a coach in the NFL Europe League was one of the reason he sat down with Hayne in the Santa Clara office last year. His experience gave him the ability of identifying athletes in other sports, and claimed that the 49ers is the best club for foreign athletes.

Tomsula had become the moderator of the “Hayne Plane” hype, but the 49ers coach has nothing but praises to Hayne, calling the Aussie’s historic achievement a “unique” situation. Tomsula also added that making an outstanding accomplishment of an NFL career is a tremendous achievement for Hayne, who will now take a considerable amount of salary from the 49ers.

Hayne was only on minimal wages when he was signed by the 49ers earlier this year, but with his spot secured in San Francisco’s lineup, the Australian football sensation has now earned a three-year contract worth US$1.538 million (AU$2.19 million), with a base salary of US$435,000 (AU$620,700). However, Hayne said his ambition to play for an NFL club was never about money, but to pursue his NFL dream.

“I didn’t just wake up and want to be an NFL player one day,” Hayne said, The Guardian reported. “I wanted to take a risk, and I wanted to put myself out there.”

However, Hayne making the 49ers’ 53-man squad is just the beginning of is cut-throat journey in the NFL. According to News, Tomsula has given no guarantees Hayne will start as a punt returner, or play quality minutes in the club’s first game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 14.

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