(Reuters) - Jarryd Hayne's hopes of making a fairytale start to his NFL career slipped away when he fumbled his very first punt return on Monday, but the Australian rugby league convert settled and gave the San Francisco 49ers glimpses of his huge potential.
Hayne walked away from a glittering career in the top-flight National Rugby League (NRL) a year ago in a bid to realize his dream of playing in the NFL and earned a spot on the 49ers' 53-man squad earlier this month.
After getting off to the worst possible start at Levi's Stadium, Hayne, who had no prior experience of American football before this year, finished with four rushes for 13 yards, and one catch for seven yards in the 49ers' 20-3 win over Minnesota.