NFL is very vast. It has a huge fanbase, and each of them is dedicated to not only teams but also their athletes, which gives them the required entertainment throughout a football season. However, not every footballer has had a junior career in the same sport, as there are many who have established themselves in the NFL, despite being from other leagues. This time, an Olympic champion in track and field has made their way into the International Player Pathway program Class of 2025.

Jamaica’s Roje Stona stunned everyone at the Stade de France months ago when he secured his career-first Olympic gold medal in the discus throw event. It was a shocking experience for many fans out there, as somebody from a nation whose foundation is built on sprinting has won a gleaming gold in a field competition. But this time he has another trick up his sleeve, as he is about to try his luck in the NFL.

Aspirations set beyond track and field

The 25-year-old was nowhere near the favorite to win the gold medal in Paris. But he didn’t just secure the accolade but also broke the Olympic record with a 70m throw. In addition to track and field, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints invited him to rookie minicamps in May, indicating his interest in the NFL.

However, a recent X post from the NFL revealed that the International Player Pathway Class of 2025 will feature 14 athletes representing 13 nations, and Roje Stona from Jamaica will also be included. This program has a straightforward aim, as it provides elite international athletes who have aspirations towards the NFL, granting them an opportunity to compete at the league’s level to improve their skills and eventually try to earn a spot on a roster of any reputed team.

From January 2025, the new IPP program will begin, and all 14 athletes will be invited to train in American football. However, this training will be extensive as it will extend beyond the field, and they will also be taking notes in the form of classroom teaching. The program will be held for 10 weeks at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Then, in March, as part of the University of South Florida’s Pro Day, the competitors will showcase their talents to scouts from NFL clubs.

After the completion of the program, players who are eligible can become free agents or can also be selected by teams during the 2025 NFL Draft, which starts on April 24. There would be a lot of anticipation from the Jamaican fans too, as they will watch their athlete making headlines in one of the biggest leagues in the world. Surely, Stona has been in the spotlight on many occasions, but his time in Paris wouldn’t have been the way it went without the support of a major American track and field star.

Keeping the rivalry aside

Jamaica and the United States are known because of the way they fight it out in track and field events. However, the athletes have their competitive aggressiveness in them, but beyond the stadium, they are no more than peers. While Roje Stona made history at the Stade de France, the man behind his success was Team USA’s Ryan Crouser.

The American made time to attend the training sessions of Stona at Arkansas Razorbacks, and both athletes focused on honing their skills together. Many fans and coaches in Jamaica appreciated Crouser’s role in helping the Jamaican achieve success in the sport, so much so that they honored him with the Hector-Smith Master Coach award. The whole stint by the American athlete was driven by pure passion, as he doesn’t see Stona from the perspective of a rival.