NFL News: Australian Jarryd Hayne Signs With San Francisco 49ers For 3 Years, $100K Guaranteed

A number of teams in the National Football League, or NFL, were interested in trying out Australian Jarryd Hayne but only the San Francisco 49ers were willing to offer him a guaranteed contract. The former National Rugby League, or NRL, star in Australia accepted the 49ers offer of contract worth $100,000 and has a chance to make the 49ers roster in the upcoming 2015 NFL Season.

Hayne made the announcement during a press conference in Sydney on Tuesday as he formally joined the San Francisco franchise over other interested parties like the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and two other unnamed NFL teams.

"This is a small step in the right direction," Hayne said about his decision to join the 49ers. "The hard stuff starts now.”

The 49ers also announced the official signing on its website. The 27 year old Hayne, who is from Minto, Sydney in Australia, is listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and has spent the past nine years in the NRL with the Parramatta Eels from 2006 to 2014.

Hayne played the centre position in the NRL and his transition to the NFL will mean adjusting to the running back position of his new sport or possibly to play with the special teams as a return specialist. After quitting the sport of rugby late in 2014,

Hayne described the bold move to playing in the NFL from NRL, where he is a star for the Eels, as a “huge risk” but that he’ll take the “massive leap of faith” in trying to chase his dream of playing in the big leagues.

Former NFL player Colin Scotts, who is one of the few successful Australians to play in the league, said that Hayne’s contract with the 49ers is already a “huge achievement” and if Hayne’s successful in his stint in San Francisco it could open up the doors for other Australians in the future who also wants to chase their dream of playing in the NFL.

Earlier in the NFL offseason, the Lions already offered him a futures contract but it did not come with any guarantee like the 49ers’ offer.

Email j.gloria@IBTimes.com.au to contact author.