Jarryd Hayne has admitted that the hype and build up surrounding his first season in the NFL may have been a distraction.
Speaking to Kylie and Jackie O on KIIS FM, the former Parramatta Eels star said that he is still has a lot to learn.
“It (the hype) was more of a distraction,” Hayne said.
“It was still fresh for me, so I was still learning. Playing that first game and making that big run, the hype just accelerated. So it was a bit distracting.
“For me (it was) ... about just staying focused about why I was over there. I wanted to go over there, learn a game, perfect it and get better and better every day. That’s still a journey. I’m nowhere near a complete player or the player I know I can be.”
Hayne said that while being dropped to the practice squad was disappointing, it helped him to re-focus and improve his game.
“It gave me a chance to just take a deep breath and look back on what I’d done at that stage,” Hayne said.
“I didn’t have the pressure of playing that week and worrying about other team’s defences and formations. I could just really focus on my game and on improving.”
