Jarryd Hayne is returning to rugby after one year with the 49ers

By Dan Graf

Published May. 15, 2016 1:48 p.m. ET

One of the most unlikely stories of the 2015 NFL season won’t get a reprisal, as San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne is retiring from the NFL to resume his rugby career with the Fiji team at the Rio Olympics.

Hayne, 28, was a professional rugby player in Australia before making the 49ers as primarily a special teams player. He explained his decision in a statement on the 49ers’ website: