Friday 30 June 2017 12:37, UK
Miami Dolphins' London-born running back Jay Ajayi looks ahead to next season's return to his hometown as a fully-fledged NFL star.
His 2016 campaign was unforgettable. A quarter of the season had been played before Ajayi took over the backfield in Miami, but when he did, he broke out in a huge way.
Back-to-back 200-yard performances in weeks six and seven, followed by a third in a playoff-clinching win over the Bills in week 15, propelled Ajayi into the Pro Bowl in only his second year.
Even in the off-season, the 24-year-old is already looking forward to getting back to work when the team has their first practice on July 27.
The pads won't officially go on until the third day of practice, but Ajayi is licking his chops: "This is what I do. I love it, so I'm excited to get going again.
"I'm excited to really start this season and chase that goal of getting to the Super Bowl and getting the Championship for our team. That all starts in the preseason - that's where the hard work is done."
Under first-year head coach Adam Gase, Ajayi thrived with 1,272 yards on 260 carries and found the end zone eight times.
More importantly, the Dolphins achieved a 10-6 record (including a 9-2 run from week six) and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
It was promising, but the team is hungry for more after a 30-12 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"We had a great year last year," he told Sky Sports News.
"We were able to get through some challenges early in the year and finish strong but we weren't able to get to where we really wanted to go.
"It's about knowing what we did last year, coming in like we did in spring training, putting that all together and just really focusing on a new season where everything is fresh. We got some new talent, have still got the same guys, and are putting it all together so that we can have a great year."
Ajayi credited both his ability to fight for yards and his offensive line for becoming only the fourth runner to achieve three 200-yard games in a season (alongside O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell and Tiki Barber).
"When I run, I run hard for my team mates and as you can see, the O-line, they are creating big holes," he added.
"And for me, it's just about being powerful, running hard, trying to make every guy miss and trying to get in the end zone for my team.
"I was blessed last year to be able to do that and put my name in the same sentences as some greats. At the same time, I know that I've still got a long way to go, and that was really my first year of getting a huge sample size of playing.
"I got a grasp of the game, and now I feel like I'm very confident in my role and I know what I need to do to get to where I want to go. I'm excited for this year."
His exploits didn't go unnoticed. As well as making the Pro Bowl, Ajayi was also voted into the NFL's 'Top 100 Players of 2016' by his peers, where he placed at number 69. But where does he want to be?
"It's number one. You know, 69th… it's a blessing to be on the list and I'm grateful, but at the same time it's motivating because I still believe that I've got a lot more to do.
"I've got a lot more in the tank and so I'm excited to really showcase that this year."
This season, he'll have the chance to showcase his talent in front of the British audience for the first time as a pro.
On October 1, the Dolphins will host the New Orleans Saints at Wembley, and Ajayi can't wait to get in front of his hometown crowd having missed out on Miami's clash with the Jets in 2015, his rookie year.
"It's going to be a special one for me," he said.
"I was actually at that Jets game. I wasn't playing because I was on the injury list at the time so I really was just a spectator, but this year it's going to be special for me being the starter, being from London, and being able to have all my family, friends and everyone there.
"I'm excited about it and I know it's going to be a great game."
Although there is excitement building for the possibility of a London franchise, Arizona Cardinals GM Michael Bidwell was recently in the capital discussing his concerns with travel and player safety as reasons why it may not happen any time soon.
However, Ajayi believes it could happen: "I think it's a possibility.
"Just seeing how the game has grown over the years, how the UK/London series has grown from just a couple of games to now having eight teams there.
"I think they are slowly just setting it up to where there's a possibly that a franchise will be able to live over here and actually have a solid fan base."
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The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in PlayOffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.
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