How do you define being good as an athlete? Surely winning an Olympic gold medal makes you good. But what if, alongside winning the said gold, you get an offer from an entirely different sport? That too in one of the biggest sporting franchises in the world. Crazy, right? But that is exactly what happened to Roje Stona.

At 6’6″ and 270 pounds, this guy is a beast. Made perfectly in the mold of an NFL linebacker from your local neighborhood. That is if the linebacker could blast a discus as if at the beach. Of course, the pros called, and they called strongly. The likes of the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints came for pieces of him. Even to the extent that he would be invited by the NFL in their International Player Pathway program, gold for Internationals struggling to get into America’s football gridiron.

But guess what? Stona said no. Instead of trading in his throwing circle for a football field, he doubled down on track and field. And now? That loyalty just paid off in the biggest way possible.

‘Golden Boy’ of Jamaica wins greatest honor in His Home Country

While people were out here thinking Roje would ditch the discus for the NFL, Roje Stona was busy making history. In January 2025, he got the ultimate stamp of approval. He won the Jamaica’s Sportsman of the Year at the RJRGLEANER Sports Awards.

That’s BIG.

In Paris 2024, the man landed Jamaica’s first-ever Olympic gold in a throwing event and, accordingly, did not use his ace as leverage to change to some other sport, saying, “Nah, I got unfinished business in track and field.”.

And let’s be honest—people doubted Stona. They thought he was crazy for turning down the NFL. They figured he’d follow the path of so many other athletes who left track and field for the promise of bigger checks and fancier contracts. But Stona stayed true to his grind and the respect he was getting for it. Well deserved.

Roje Stona could’ve been a football star, but he opted to be a legend in his sport. And let’s be real, Jamaica is not mad at that.

 A Night of Track and Field Greatness for Roje

It wasn’t all about Roje Stona in the night; it was a full-on track and field takeover. Jamaica came through swinging, showing love to the athletes who have kept their flag flying high.

Shanieka Ricketts took Sportswoman of the Year after straight-up dominating the triple jump scene, while young sprinting sensation Alana Reid was named the ‘Young Outstanding Upcoming Talented Headliner.’ If that title ain’t a flex, I don’t know what is. But Stona’s win? That hit differently. Because it wasn’t just about him being good; it was about him choosing his sport when he had other options on the table. That kind of loyalty doesn’t go unnoticed.

Jamaica doesn’t love champions. They love real ones. And Stona proved he’s as real as they come. Look, there’s no doubt Stona could’ve been a monster in the NFL. A 6’6″ Olympic champ charging down the field? That’s nightmare fuel for any quarterback. But Stona is not built for the sidelines. He’s built for greatness in his lane. And that lane? It’s still track and field.

Now, the big question is, will he ever reconsider football? Or is he too busy engraving his name in track and field history? One thing’s for sure: Jamaica is riding with him all the way. So, what do y’all think? Did he make the right call sticking with track, or should he have taken his shot at the NFL?