Posted in: NFL, Sports | Tagged: entertainment, HRL, Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins Wembley Stadium, nfl, sports

London-Born Jay Ajayi Leads Miami Dolphins Into Wembley Stadium

This morning kicked off with something happening in the NFL that had never happened before. The Miami Dolphins are taking on the New Orleans Saints at Wembley Stadium in London, England and the starting running back for the Dolphins was born there. Jay Ajayi is the first London-born skill position player to take the field in an official NFL game.

This is not something lost on the NFL. Mark Waller, Executive Vice President of International said:

"Having local heroes has always been something we see as a key part of growing the sport. Jay's success has given us a player who gains national media attention and can create headlines through scoring TDs in a way that a lineman, for example, can never achieve. He is someone we can use as a success story when talking to young British athletes about the potential of taking up our sport."

Ajayi was battling a knee injury this week, but still started the game and into the 4th quarter has 12 carries for 46 yards. He is the official International Ambassador for NFL UK and hit the town to promote the sport. He appeared in a New Era store in London that had lines out the door, went to a NFL UK pep rally where he was the featured player and his jersey is one of the top-five selling in the UK. Ajayi got his own hashtag emoji and partnered with IT'SUGAR for his own candy called Sweeties that debuted this week.

Ajayi, who moved to the U.S. when he was seven, isn't the first player from London in the NFL, but he is the first to play a game there. He made a trip over last summer to surprise a youth football team and plans to have his own camp in London next summer.

Source: NFL.com

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