Jay Ajayi

Ajayi was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft with the 149th overall pick by the Miami Dolphins (traded from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Mike Wallace).[24] He was the 14th of 22 running backs selected in that year's draft.[25][26] On 7 May 2015, the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $2.50 million rookie contract, which included a signing bonus of $220,813.[27]

On 6 September 2015, Ajayi was placed on injured reserve/designated to return due to broken ribs he suffered in the Dolphins' last exhibition game.[28] On 8 November 2015, he made his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills and rushed five times for 41 yards (8.2 average). He scored his first professional touchdown against the San Diego Chargers in a 30-14 defeat.[29] He finished his rookie season with 49 carries for 187 yards (3.8 average) and one touchdown. He also recorded seven receptions for 90 yards.[30][31]

After the Dolphins lost starting running back Lamar Miller to the Houston Texans via free agency, Ajayi was appointed the de facto starter going into the season.[32] However, he was declared the backup after free agent running back Arian Foster supplanted him as the starter during training camp. After growing disgruntled, head coach Adam Gase deactivated him for the season opener and Ajayi was left in Miami as the team traveled for a road game against the Seattle Seahawks. He was activated the following week and had five carries for 14 yards against the New England Patriots after Foster was sidelined in the second half due to a groin injury.[33] After Foster's injury and eventual in-season retirement, Ajayi settled into a role as the Dolphins' lead running back.

Ajayi followed up a Week 6 204-yard and two touchdown performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 214-yard and one touchdown effort against AFC East rival Buffalo in Week 7, becoming only the fourth player in NFL history along with O. J. Simpson (twice), Earl Campbell, and former Miami Dolphin Ricky Williams to rush for over two hundred yards in two consecutive games.[34][35][36][37] Ajayi was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row for his 200+ rushing yards in back-to-back games in Weeks 6 and 7. In Week 16, on Christmas Eve, Ajayi recorded a third 200-yard game, again at the expense of the Buffalo Bills, including a 57-yard rush to set Andrew Franks up to kick a game-winning field goal in overtime.[38] With his 32 carries for 206 yards and a touchdown, he became only the fourth player in NFL history to rush over 200 yards in three games in a single season,[39] and the only player to do it as early as his second season. As a result of his Week 16 performance, he became one of only 15 players in NFL history with three or more career 200+ yard rushing games. In the 30-12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, he had 16 carries for 33 yards in his playoff debut.[40] As a result of his successful season in 2016, he was named to the AFC roster for the 2017 Pro Bowl. In the Pro Bowl, he had seven rushes for 18 yards.[41] He was ranked 69th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 list by his fellow players.[42]

Ajayi entered the 2017 season as the Dolphins' top running back. The Dolphins did not play in Week 1 due to Hurricane Irma, so Ajayi made his season debut in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he had 28 carries for 122 yards in the 19–17 win.[43] After just 16 and 46 yards in Weeks 3 and 4, Ajayi rebounded for 77 yards against the Tennessee Titans and 130 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. He had just 74 yards total in his next two games, and through Week 8 was the only NFL rusher with 100+ carries yet to record a rushing touchdown.[44][45]

On 31 October 2017, Ajayi was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2018 fourth round draft pick.[46][47] In Ajayi's debut with the Eagles, he rushed for 77 yards on eight carries and one touchdown in a 51–23 rout of the Denver Broncos five days after being traded,[48] his longest being a 48 yard rush for a touchdown. In week 11 Ajayi rushed for 91 yards on 7 carries against the Dallas Cowboys, helping his team increase their record to 9-1. In the game he had a career high 71 yard rush in the third quarter.[49] The Eagles made the playoffs as the #1-seed in the NFC.[50][51] In the Divisional Round against the Atlanta Falcons, he had 54 rushing yards and 44 receiving yards in the 15–10 victory.[52] In the NFC Championship against the Minnesota Vikings, he finished with 73 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards in the 38–7 victory.[53] During Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots, Ajayi rushed for 57 rushing yards as the Eagles won 41-33, giving them their first Super Bowl win in franchise history.[54][55]

In the 2018 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Ajayi recorded his second career multi-touchdown game. He had 15 carries for 62 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, with the second being the late go-ahead touchdown, in the 18–12 victory.[56] On 8 October 2018, Ajayi was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL during Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings.[57][58] He finished the season with 184 rushing yards and three touchdowns.[59]

Ajayi in a game against the Washington Redskins

Ajayi re-signed with the Eagles on 15 November 2019 after they placed running back Darren Sproles on injured reserve.[60] On 23 December he was released by the Eagles.[61] He appeared in three games and recorded 10 carries for 30 rushing yards.[62]