Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with running back Jay Ajayi, but he isn’t going very far Major League Soccer team Philadelphia Union announced it signed Ajayi to represent the club as a professional FIFA player, the Verge reported.
“Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart,” Ajayi said in a statement. “I am blessed to be able to represent the city through e-sports and to be one of the first pro athletes to become a professional gamer. Representing the Philadelphia Union for eMLS combines two of my greatest passions outside of football, soccer and gaming. I’m a competitor, so you’re going to see me give my all for the Union at every eMLS event this year.”
“When I’m home, as part of my routine of decompressing and having some peace and time to myself, that includes a lot of FIFA,” he said. “It’s something that was a hobby for me, so an opportunity like this — create a hobby, have fun with it, possibly monetize it as well and invest down the road — all those things made it intriguing for me to try and join this club and take on this challenge.”
The 26-year-old Ajayi is an NFL free agent, but his career remains in doubt after appearing in just three games in 2019, racking up just 30 rushing yards on 10 carries. He was unsigned until Philly came calling him in November, only to cut him five weeks later. That came before his 2018 was cut short due to a torn ACL.
The 2020 eMLS Cup campaign is set to kick off with a tournament in Philly this weekend.
