One-time Pro Bowl RB Jay Ajayi gets $5 million settlement after 2018 torn ACL
It is been nearly two-and-a-half years since running back Jay Ajayi suited up in an NFL contest and earlier this year, he officially retired. Ajayi was limited to just 45 regular season games and four playoff games across five partial seasons from 2015 to 2019, but on Tuesday, the Miami Dolphin and Philadelphia Eagle was in the news again.
Ajayi was selected by the Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dolphins and as a rookie, recorded 187 rushing yards and one score on 49 carries. The 28-year-old's best season came in 2016, when he set career highs in rushing attempts (260), rushing yards (1,272) and rushing touchdowns (eight), while adding 27 catches for 151 yards as well.
A Boise St. product, Ajayi played seven games with Miami in 2017 before being traded to Philadelphia in October of that year. Ajayi finished 2017 with just over 1,000 scrimmage yards (1,031) and helped the Eagles capture Super Bowl LII by gaining 184 rushing yards on 42 attempts in the postseason.
The London, England native played only four games in 2018 before tearing his ACL.
"Ajayi's contract is up after 2018, and a long-term deal in Philly was no guarantee. For a player whose right knee had already given him issues during his career, a ligament tear in his other knee is less than ideal. ... However, according to his business manager Josh Sanchez, Ajayi bought a loss-of-value insurance policy this past year (and the year before) to protect him against exactly what ended up happening," Rapoport wrote in 2018. "Ajayi was valued as a significant free agent based on the policy. If the injury takes his market down to a point where he would be a lower-level free agent, he can receive a maximum payout $5 million net -- after taxes. In other words, if Ajayi's free-agent value goes down, the policy will help make up the difference. Let's say he's valued as being able to earn a four-year, $16-million contract before the injury. But now, he ends up earning just $8 million over four years. The policy should end up paying him to make up the difference with $5 million tax-free. Similar policies generally can cost as much as $80,000-$100,000. It's not what any player wants. But at the least, Ajayi has prepared for the worst-case scenario."
Ajayi finished his career with 572 rushing attempts for 2,546 yards and 13 touchdowns.
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