Jarryd Hayne Retires: Latest Comments and Reaction

Jarryd Hayne's NFL experiment is over, as the San Francisco 49ers running back announced Sunday he is retiring.  

A player in Australia's National Rugby League before heading to the United States to play football, Hayne said in a statement on the 49ers' official website that he will be returning to the sport at which he previously excelled:

"

I am retiring from the NFL because the Fiji Rugby Sevens team reached out to me about the opportunity to join the team for the upcoming Olympics, and I simply could not pass that chance up. The Olympics has been something I have admired since I was a little boy, and it is an opportunity I feel very similar to me joining the NFL.

"

On May 15, World Rugby confirmed Hayne is eligible to play for Fiji, via ABC Grandstand.

Last March, San Francisco signed Hayne to a three-year deal but waived him in October. However, Reggie Bush's season-ending injury opened up a spot for Hayne on the team, which added him to the practice squad in November. He appeared in eight games, playing a variety of roles in the 49ers offense and special teams. He amassed 155 all-purpose yards.

Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo was a bit disappointed Hayne won't have an opportunity to build on his rookie year in the NFL:

When asked on Wednesday about the potential of Hayne returning to the 49ers at some point, head coach Chip Kelly said "We didn't even talk about that," per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. 

That the 28-year-old would call time on his NFL career to play in the Olympics isn't a huge surprise. The International Olympic Committee added rugby sevens to this year's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which is the first time the sport will be a part of the event and the first rugby of any kind since 1924.

San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly could have potentially found new ways to get Hayne involved, but with Carlos Hyde healthy, he had little chance at getting a high volume of snaps at running back. Even if he had had a starring role in the Bay Area, the prospect of participating in the Olympics likely would've swayed Hayne back to reigniting his rugby career.

The 49ers will now need to find another backup running back to fill out the depth chart ahead of training camp. The timing of Hayne's retirement at least leaves Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke time to weigh their options before making a decision on a replacement.