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Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit quits rugby immediately to join NFL
Gloucester have announced that Wales and British & Irish Lions winger Louis Rees-Zammit has been released from his contract immediately to join the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP).
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The 32-cap Wales international is set to follow in the footsteps of Christian Wade, Christian Scotland-Williamson and Alex Gray in joining the IPP from the Gallagher Premiership.
With the current NFL season drawing to a close, he revealed in a statement on social media that he hopes to earn a spot on an NFL roster for 2024.
Rees-Zammit will fly out to Florida on Friday ahead of a ten-week intensive training camp, whereby he will find out at the end whether he is wanted by a team or not.
— Louis Rees-Zammit ⚡️ (@LouisReesZammit) January 16, 2024
The Welshman showcased what a world class talent he is on Saturday with a scorching solo try against Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup, in what has turned out to be his last appearance in rugby. His last outing for his country, meanwhile, was Wales’ Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina in October.
The announcement has come just before Warren Gatland was expected to name the 22-year-old in his Guinness Six Nations squad.
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In a statement shared by Gloucester, Rees-Zammit said: “Gloucester Rugby has been a huge part of my life. From the start at Hartpury College and my first professional rugby contract with Gloucester in 2020, to my Wales and Lions caps; the Club has been central to my development as a player, and I’m so grateful for their support.
“I will always be very proud of my time at Kingsholm and want to particularly thank the incredible fans who make the Club so special. Also, to my teammates, to George Skivington and Alex Brown, thank you for giving me such special memories and for supporting this next stage of my career.
“I have had the incredible honour of playing rugby for my country which, as a proud Welshman, I’ve never taken for granted. However, I believe that this is the right time for me to realise another professional goal of playing American football in the US. Those opportunities don’t come around very often.”
Gloucester Chief Executive Officer Alex Brown said: “We understand the size of the opportunity before Zam and his lifelong ambition to play in the NFL.
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“Whilst we are naturally sad to see him leave, ultimately, we are not able to dissuade him from taking an opportunity of this magnitude with the NFL.
“We remain very proud of the role Gloucester Rugby has played in helping to develop him into the world class player he has become, and we wish him the very best in the US. He will always be welcome at Kingsholm.”
I’m worried, he’s going to rue that decision.
Also, what a kick in the teeth of Wales and Gloucester, exactly at a time when both are struggling. Nice timing there, Louis. Please, at least make it count.
LZR good luck
I’m welsh living in OZ sad in one way to see him go he is our best finisher in red jersey his speed and running ability is amazing
He will be a good wide receiver with the perfect size for the position he’s also a great athlete with ball in hand
He’s going to be following his instincts in a new game the bloke is going to be absolutely brilliant
Hasn’t LRZ spent time in the US improving his skill-set?
Rugby players generally don’t transition well to the NFL, and vice versa. Notwithstanding programs like the NFL IPPP, the track record is poor, in both directions.
A player like LRZ is at least 4 years behind his NFL peers in terms of experience of top tier American Football, because they get drafted in their early twenties after years of intense, NFL-like, college football. Additionally it is very hard to get game time in an NFL team, so, even if they put him on a practice squad, catching up on experience will be tough.
In consequence, the likely outcome for him is to end up as a relatively inexpensive spare wheel in an NFL team (still not bad compensation), or to give up and return to rugby.
I hope he makes it and becomes a HUGE star - It might attract more USA based fans to rugby
Very low probability of making pro-grade. Too much competition honed through junior high school onwards. But, on the positive side, in Florida he should be a hit with a broadly munter-free, better class of totty than he will have encountered in South Wales and Gloucester.
He's got an outside chance of becoming an “ok” NFL player but much more likely to be back in rugby in a few years. America is full of athletes like him and they've been playing football since kindergarten.
By the time he's squandered some of his best years then had to readapt to rugby he will have ruined his career… I can't see him eating humble pie and coming back to Wales so he'll probably sign for a French club in a few years and never fulfill his potential to be the greatest Welsh winger of all time.
There are tons of athletes like him in the US, he isn’t that special!!!! He’ll be back in union as fast as Perry Baker or Carlin Isles can run, both who played football as youth.