Ex Eagles Running Back Jay Ajayi Goes Pro in FIFA with MLS Esports Team

Two weeks ago, The Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with running back Jay Ajayi, who then decided to become a pro in a different type of football. The electronic kind. Jay has signed with the MLS team, Philadelphia Union, to represent them as a professional FIFA player.

“Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart,” Ajayi said in a statement. “I am blessed to be able to represent the city through e-sports and to be one of the first pro athletes to become a professional gamer. Representing the Philadelphia Union for eMLS combines two of my greatest passions outside of football, soccer and gaming. I’m a competitor, so you’re going to see me give my all for the Union at every eMLS event this year.”

Jay Ajayi

Ajayi will be competing in the 2020 eMLS Cup season, which coincidentally kicks off with a tournament in Philadelphia on January 10th.

Esports just keeps inching and inching up to traditional sports. This is a huge move and the first of it’s kind. Jay becomes the first professional gamer that came from being a traditional, professional athlete. And to be honest, it’s an incredible opportunity and a giant step for esports. Jay sees the potential in esports as a player. Not an investor, like we see all the time. But a player. A player that is going to see things through during his free agency, and play a game he loves competitively, and digitally.

You really love to see it. Esports to the fucking moon.