Miami Dolphins star Jay Ajayi: It's great to be in London - and hopefully I'll meet my Arsenal hero

In the red: Lifelong Arsenal fan Jay Ajayi at the Emirates earlier this year
Arsenal FC
Jay Ajayi2 October 2015

Jay Ajayi is a 22-year-old rookie running back for the Miami Dolphins. Here is the first of his fortnightly columns throughout the NFL season for the Evening Standard. Jay was talking to Ken Elliott

I’m excited about being back in London and really pleased my team is at Wembley, although it will be bittersweet for me, as I am injured and won’t get to play. But at least I’ll be a bit closer to Arsenal and Emirates Stadium and may even bump into my hero and role model, Thierry Henry.

The Gunners were a big part of my life, even as a seven-year-old, before my family moved to North Dallas, Texas, and in those early years, I dreamed of visiting Wembley Stadium or even running out there, but I never, ever thought I’d get there as an American Footballer.

I chose the sport over soccer when I was growing up in the USA, and here I am.

I was drafted by the Dolphins as a running back out of Boise State University, in Idaho, in the fifth round of the NFL draft in May and played against the Atlanta Falcons in the penultimate pre-season game, making 20-30yards. I then played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was good for more than 100 yards rushing and receiving and was really pumped in the game. But I felt some discomfort and went to the sidelines in the third quarter and then for an x-ray, and missed the fourth quarter. That’s when it was discovered I had cracked a rib.

I am on short-term injured reserve at the moment but hope to back playing by week eight, in time to face the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in their stadium on October 29. What a game to come back for !

Hard yards: Ajayi in action for the Miami Dolphin 

As I say, being on the sidelines will be frustrating, but I’ll be urging the team on for a win and we have some big players for the Wembley fans to look out for . . . some big weapons in our armoury like quarterback Ryan Tannehill, some great receivers in Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Rishard Matthews and Kenny Stills and top running backs in Lamar Miller and Damien Williams. And I’m looking at our defense to cause havoc.

It is a big game for us as we are 1-2 after week three in the NFL and need to get back on track. The Jets are 2-1 and we are both coming off week three defeats.

My job now is to keep healthy, stay in shape and be ready to come back. But I’m also ready to see some sights in London. I hope to get the chance to take some of the guys shopping in Oxford Street and I’ll be visiting my uncle in Hackney and other relatives in London. I was born in Hackney and lived in Manor House and still have vivid memories of being there and going to school there. But this really is a ‘business’ trip and we are here to win.

I never got to Wembley, or Emirates Stadium as a result of moving to the USA, but I’m going to both this time. I loved football, soccer, and as well as Henry being a hero, I liked Kanu and the Bolton Wanderers player Jay-Jay Okocha, and I followed the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ when I was growing up in North Dallas.

One thing I will definitely be doing is going to the club shop at Arsenal and I’m going to buy myself the new home kit. I’ve got an Arsenal shirt with my Boise State playing number, 27 on it and now I’m going to have my name and Dolphins playing number, 33, printed. Best of both worlds.

Miami Dolphins are ‘at home’ to the New York Jets at Wembley. Watch it live on BBC2, with coverage from 2pm. Kick-off 2.30pm.

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