Dubai: Perry Baker, Sevens World Player of the Year, hopes that he can inspire other NFL players who didn’t make the grade to take up rugby in America, thus jettisoning the sport to another level in the states.
The 31-year-old USA wing from Florida used to play for Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 and Pittsburgh Power from 2012-2013 before opting for rugby in 2014, at the age of 28.
“I was getting the runaround and being told things that didn’t happen and knew my time was coming to an end,” he said of his NFL career.
“I knew I needed to make a choice: do I ride this wave, opt to work in the field of my degree, or play rugby, where you don’t make any money? I kind of weighed it up, I enjoy rugby and took the chance as this is my chance to give back and help others.
“I had dreams of making big bucks and helping my family,” said Baker, whose brother Dallas and uncle Wes, have both played in the NFL.
“That was why I stayed in NFL, but if I could make as much money in rugby as I did in NFL I would have chosen rugby in a heartbeat.
“Rugby would definitely hit it off in America if more NFL players (who didn’t make it) came across, but you’ve got to think about it, if they are making a quarter of a million to come and play rugby and not even make five per cent of that, they will feel like they are wasting their time.
“I don’t think you’ll ever make a million dollars like football in rugby — I don’t see it, especially in America — but there is a way you can make a living and be comfortable, and I see that happening for sure.
“I’ve made sacrifices and they’ve paid off,” said Baker, who was crowned Sevens World Player of the Year this week. “I’ve been inspired by so many and inspired so many, and I can do it all over the world now, not just in a certain area, and I get to see other cultures and that inspires me.
“It’s about inspiring and helping others, how can I help them live their dream and get them out of the funk that they’re in? That situation where they’ve been told they couldn’t do something, they can live through me now and say ‘oh, if Perry did it, I can do it’.
“It’s tough when you know you’re on your way out and change will come after you, but it’s all good, I’ve made friends for life, travelled the world and gone to places people only dream of.”
The World Series season-opener in Dubai didn’t start so well for Baker because he was knocked out by a knee to the head in the opening seconds of the tournament’s first game against Argentina on Friday, then couldn’t play for the rest of the weekend because he suffered concussion.
The USA went on to lose to Argentina 22-14, Samoa 26-14 and New Zealand 22-12, before defeat to Canada 10-5 in the trophy quarters and a 31-21 loss to Wales in the 13th place semis — all without their star man.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s a long season, we’ll bounce back and see what happens,” he added. “We gave the ball to the opposition, it’s about handling, there are some things to correct but we hope to come out firing next tournament.”
