Christian Wade takes big leap towards NFL dream with Buffalo deal
Christian Wade has said he is ‘lost for words’ after being signed to join the Buffalo Bills as part of the NFL‘s International Pathway Program.
The former Wasps wing announced six months ago he was leaving the sport of rugby to pursue his dream in the States, and after attending numerous training camps Wade will move to the AFC East.
“With the recent news, I’m completely lost for words,” Wade said. “Every week that has gone by has exceeded my expectations.
“ I didn’t really know what to expect from the process and have tried to stay open to all possibilities. I’ve tried to take every moment as it comes and hit it hard.”
“For me this is another step closer to my dream and what I set out to achieve from the start. It’s making me emotional thinking about the risk I took and the magnitude of the move. This has made that even more apparent. Every time I think about it, I start to well up.
Wade scored 82 tries in 123 Premiership appearances for Wasps, winning England, England 7s and British & Irish Lion honours in a seven-year career.
Transitioning into American football as a running back, the 27-year-old joins the NFL’s International Pathway Program. An initiative which allows six players from outside of the USA to join a team each year.
Wade will begin training with the Bills, who finished last season with a 6-10 record, in mid-July ahead of NFL rosters being narrowed down to 53 players by the 31 August deadline.
To make the final cut would be a fairytale outcome for Wade, who is expected to be on the Bills’ practice squad for the duration of the 2019 season.
The move, however, does represent a substantial achievement for the wing capped twice by England. Given he is an International Pathway player, he does not count towards the ten-man limit imposed on teams.
Furthermore, the Bills have recently released their second-choice running back in Chris Ivory, while trade rumours have also circulated around first-choice star LeSean McCoy.
