Encounter Rojé Stona, a decorated Olympic track and field athlete, harboring aspirations of joining the NFL.
Jamaican discus thrower Rojé Stona learned this lesson the hard way.
Approaching the discus circle before his fourth attempt during the men’s final at the Paris Olympics, he wasn't anticipating that a mere 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) would present an enjoyable predicament for his future career choices.
Stona – who placed 19th at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and ranked 12th before competing in Paris – immortalized his name in the annals of history, becoming the first Jamaican to clinch gold in a throwing event. His 70-meter toss broke the Olympic record set mere minutes before by Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, a formidable favorite heading into the Games.
“Victory was something I had been contemplating, but to experience it in the moment, it felt distinctly different,” Stona shared with CNN Sport, reflecting on his triumphant evening at the Stade de France.
“It was certainly gratifying because I established a significant milestone and discovered later that I had accomplished more than I had imagined.”
Now, the 25-year-old Stona is fascinated by the prospect of a complete shift to an entirely dissimilar sport, having participated in novice training camps with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.
Although he possesses minimal experience in football – donning a helmet for the first time during his debut training session – he remains willing to gamble his flourishing athletics career in pursuit of a spot on an NFL team’s roster.
Inspired by legends
Stona was merely nine when his compatriot Usain Bolt captured his initial Olympic gold medal in Beijing 2008. Despite soccer being his initial passion, Bolt’s Olympic triumph served as a substantial motivation in pursuing a career in track and field.
After dabbling in various sports in athletics, he finally decided on his future discipline in high school.
“I tossed it, and it just dropped from 20 meters,” Stona reminisced about his first encounter with the discus.
Progressing through the ranks and representing the Caribbean nation in youth competitions, Stona later relocated to the US to attend Clemson and subsequently Arkansas.
In Fayetteville, he encountered Ryan Crouser – a three-time Olympic gold medalist and an Olympic record holder in shot put – who joined the Razorbacks’ athletics staff in 2019 as a volunteer.
Mentorship from “one of the best that have ever done it” throughout his last year of collegiate eligibility instilled confidence in Stona, as he absorbed Crouser’s knowledge while endeavoring to replicate his success.
The path to glory
Stona’s journey to the Olympics commenced with an eye-catching performance, a 69-meter throw in April during the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational meet, which secured his spot in Paris.
Stona harbored ambitious aspirations in Paris, aiming to “at least finish top three.” He did not wish to spend another summer questioning, “what if?”
Upon commencement of competition, it appeared that everything was unfolding according to plan: Alekna broke his father Virgilijus’ Olympic record which had stood since 2004, and it seemed as though the Lithuanian was on track for gold.
However, Stona had alternative objectives: his fourth attempt on the night soared 70 meters, surpassing the Olympic record set minutes earlier and orchestrating one of the most significant upsets of the Games.
“When Mykolas broke the record, I thought, ‘All right, I could expect that.’ I afforded him my respect because as throwers, we share a commonality; I had observed Alekna’s father when I had just started discus,” he said.
“From the way that I held the discus, the angle of where I caught the discus in my power position, the speed of my right arm coming around, that’s something I had been working towards, and I’m merely grateful that it materialized at the right moment,” Stona shared about his shining moment, highlighting his performance.
“Every individual is unique in their own way, and that throw for me was one of the finest throws ever.”
Stona had rehearsed celebrations during his tenure in the Olympic Village out of boredom, and now they manifested in full force. He embraced both Yusuf Dikeç’s nonchalant shooting pose, which became viral, and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham’s iconic pose to celebrate his moment of triumph.
‘Learning a new language’
During his preparations for the pinnacle of his career, Stona embarked on a brief hiatus from discus training to participate in two NFL rookie camps with the Packers and Saints during the summer.
He succumbed to the charms of football shortly after being introduced to the sport while studying at Clemson, and was among the select few track and field college athletes invited to demonstrate his skills in a sport entirely alien to him.
Stona was described by veteran NFL analyst Lance Zierlein as “a track star with an NFL physique and characteristics … who boasts explosive hips and above-average core strength, paired with long arms and enormous hands.” His participation in the camps, therefore, was no fluke.
Trying out as a defensive end and tight end, Stona characterized his first camp in Green Bay as “an entirely different world” and “akin to learning a new language” as he had to morph his thought process from a spectator to a student of the game.
"The trainers aren't going to be all like, 'Oh, he's new to football, let's explain it to him gradually,'" he stated. "That's why they're testing every newbie, since I'm essentially a newbie myself, a trial candidate. Consequently, they're not making it simple for me.
"I observed the players ahead of me and made sure to replicate or mimic their moves and be open to suggestions," he added.
Despite the ongoing NFL season, he admitted that he's not expecting to be picked up by a team mid-season – he prefers to focus on rest and recovery after a rigorous athletics season – but he expressed interest in seeing what he can accomplish in full gear.
"No one asks me, 'Hey, aren't you a discus thrower?'" he shared. "Especially in the U.S., they ask, 'Do you play football?'
"Once I get advice from agents and coaches, it will better prepare me to make a significant decision or be more decisive," he continued. "If that path leads me there, then I'm ready to commit fully because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm curious to see what I can accomplish on the field, and if I end up playing in the NFL, it would be a significant addition to my legacy – I'd love to do that."
Regarding his successful athletics career, he emphasized his desire to utilize every opportunity to compete at the highest level and aim to compete in every major championship over the next two seasons.
The gold medal in Paris provided him with "an elevated level of self-belief" to continue where he left off. He placed second in his Diamond League debut in Rome, and with an impressive victory in Paris as his achievement, he seems well-set to be a part of the discus throwing elite for the foreseeable future.
"Now that I've thrown 70 meters, I've grown accustomed to that distance," he concluded. "So now, there's definitely a chance that I can continue to compete at a high level."
Stona's fascination with football has led him to participate in training camps with the NFL's Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, entertaining the idea of shifting completely to a different sport.
Despite his minimal experience in American football, Stona's athletic abilities and NFL-like physique have earned him recognition, indicating a potential opportunity in the NFL.
