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Benjamin, who delivered two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic games, has explained why he ditched his NFL dreams to pursue a career in track and field
American 400-meter hurdler Rai Benjamin, who secured two gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games in his specialist event and the 4x400 meter relay, has opened up about his decision to abandon his National Football League (NFL) aspirations and pursue a career in track and field.
Benjamin, originally from Mount Vernon, New York, played wide receiver and free safety in high school but ultimately shifted his focus to track and field to take advantage of a scholarship that allowed him to further his education. He ran for the UCLA Bruins before transferring to the USC Trojans, where his track career took off.
A little over a week ago, Benjamin was honored by the New York Giants with the No. 1 jersey, as the team kicked off their NFL season against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. The game, however, ended in a 28-6 loss for the Giants.
Although Benjamin still has a passion for football, he chose to prioritize his studies and track career, a decision driven by the opportunity for a scholarship that came his way.
Speaking on the Night Cap show, Benjamin shared his reasoning behind the pivotal choice. "Cause I am from New York, and people from New York do not get scholarships to go to good D1 schools, so I was like, I ran track and we were not getting good recruits or recruiters coming out because we were a small school in Westchester County," Benjamin explained.
He added, "We had one or two guys go to big universities, but it was not like we were going to LSU or USC or Clemson, so it was one of those things where that was my avenue out."
Benjamin’s talent in track was evident from the beginning. "I was really good at track my freshman year, and I was good at it. I thought about walking on, but they were like, ‘You gotta give up your track scholarship because of Title IX,’ and I was like, ‘No way in hell!’” he recalled.
Now the second fastest 400-meter hurdler of all time, Benjamin admitted to having some lingering thoughts about what might have been had he pursued football.
"Part of me wishes I played in college. I am not going to do a Tyreek and say I am faster than Noah and no, I could go catch a ball better than him,” Benjamin joked, referencing Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Since turning professional in 2018, Benjamin has built an impressive track and field résumé. He won silver in the 400m hurdles at the 2021 Olympic Games and claimed silver medals at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships. Additionally, he has earned gold medals in the 4x400m relay at both the 2019 World Championships and the 2021 Olympic Games.
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