After leaving the rugby pitch in a bid to pursue an NFL, Christian Wade has eventually been snapped up by the Buffalo Bills as they try to add "international flavour" to their roster.
The AFC East outfit made the announcement on their website this morning, informing their fans that the prolific English try-scorer was added to the roster as part of the International Player Pathway Program.
Welcome to the NFL 🏈 @ChristianWade3 signs with the @buffalobills 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/pMpzZ5NY6q
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) April 8, 2019
Having won a single cap for England, as well as touring with the British and Irish Lions in Australia back in 2013, Wade's decision to leave Wasps last October came as somewhat of a shock to many. Since then, however, he has been clear about his ambitions and desire to play in the glamorous league as a running back.
The 27-year-old has spent the last number of months at the IMG Academy in Florida, as part of the international programme which aims to help elite athletes from other disciplines, like Wade, to make the transition to American football.
In his former career, he became the Premiership's third highest try-scorer of all time with 82 tries before announcing his intentions to head for the opposite side of the Atlantic.
Speaking to the Guardian last year, Wade was adamant that he had no intention of just making up the numbers in one of the league's 32 franchises.
He said:
In a year's time I hope to be playing NFL. I'm still learning, still trying to get better, just pushing for the best.
I'm trying to make the roster. [Practice squad] is not really an aim for me. If I try to aim for that I'm not aiming high enough. I would still merely be adequate. My aim is to make the roster.
With this afternoon's announcement, the former winger has taken a considerable step forward towards realising his dream and following in the footsteps of fellow Englishman Jay Ajayi, the Phileadelphia Eagles' running back.
