NFL rookie Alex Gray looking to land mega £350,000 Atlanta Falcons deal after swapping rugby and starring during pre-season

But one Brit abroad has found that life in American Football is far from a lifestyle of driving super-cars and partying with super-models.

Ex England under-20s rugby captain and sevens star Alex Gray is on the verge of landing a £350,000-a-year deal with Super Bowl-chasing Atlanta Falcons – if he makes the cut for next season when their squad is trimmed in the coming days. And having already captained his side this month – the future looks bright.

Super Bowl chasing Gray told SunSport: "I would love to say it's all like Ballers, in the off-season maybe it is when guys are out partying and driving fast cars.


"Everyone thinks it's like that. But the actual lifestyle of a player is completely different. I have been learning the game and trying to make my way. So last season I was in at 7am and leaving at 9pm.

"Studying playbooks is still an on-going thing. We were given an iPad from the Falcons with everything on. I never had to study anything from rugby, but this is like learning a different language at times.

"I've shown physically and skill-wise I have what it takes. But it's about doing it when the pressure is on.

"That part is the biggest challenge and that's why I do the late-night studying and didn't turn my TV on for three weeks. So it's really not like Ballers every day."

The 27-year-old's contract is not guaranteed unless he makes the roster in the next few weeks.

The tight end's deal is the lowest on offer by the Falcons, whose star quarter-back Matt Ryan is on target to land more than £14million this season.

And whilst Gray's lifestyle is far from that of a playboy off the pitch, being part of a huge sports team does have its perks.

He said: "You want for nothing.

"You are treated very, very well. You never have to buy a pair of trainers or anything like that.

"In rugby, your agent would be scrambling around trying to find you a free pair of boots. Now, I can just walk up to the counter at the training centre and ask for a pair of size 12 cleats and there they are.

"You fly private jets all the time. We have a team plane and everyone gets two seats. And you have police escorts everywhere. Everything is taken care of and the sheer size of it is just crazy."

Gray's rugby career started with a boom, captaining the Under-20s in the Junior World Cup final defeat to Beauden Barrett's Baby Blacks in 2011.

Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, Mako Vunipola, Joe Launchbury and George Ford were all part of that Red Rose side led by the former Newcastle and London Irish no.8.

After making it in one sport, Gray knows he still has a long way to go to prove himself in NFL as he starts out at the bottom.

He said: "Even high-profile guys earning tens of millions of dollars can get cut from teams.

"So there is no job security and for the guys at the lower end of the roster – you're fighting for a pay-cheque week to week.

"Baseball and basketball have guaranteed contracts – so if you sign a $10m deal then it's yours.

"The NFL is such a cut-throat sport and I've seen it first hand with players cut one day and others shipped in. It is very dog eat dog."

In the locker-room Gray is also the odd one out being from Blighty. But he earned instant respect from his teammates thanks to his rugby past.

He said: "They think it's crazy that rugby players have no pads or helmets.

"They knew how hard the sport was and you get that little bit of respect straight off because off it. They knew I wasn't a joke of a sportsman."

And trail-blazing job-swapper Gray is also inspired by breaking records.

The North East lad wants to become the first rugby player to trade in codes and have a chance playing a part in Super Bowl LIII – at Atlanta's very own futuristic Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

He added: "I want to be the first one to open up the door. Hopefully that will be my part in history.

"I want to be running out in front of these crowds and this year is so huge for me. I will give it everything.

"Do I miss rugby? Not at the minute. I will always love it. I wanted to be a rugby player from when I was six and I managed to do that.

"I always thought of myself as Alex Gray as the rugby player, but it has been great to step away from that and do this and show to myself I can.

"The Falcons have a great team and with the Super Bowl in Atlanta this season, if I could achieve that and get a ring. . . what a story that would be.

"Maybe someone would even make a movie of it?"

Watch out Mark Wahlberg. . .

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