What next for Louis Rees-Zammit as NFL hopeful lands Kansas City Chiefs deal?
Wales rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has taken a step closer to realising his long-standing ambition of competing in the NFL by signing a three-year deal with Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs.
Here the PA news agency examines the key questions around his move.
So Rees-Zammit is now an NFL player?
Not yet – and this is where the hard work really begins. Having impressed on the NFL’s international player pathway (IPP) program, the 23-year-old former Wales wing has secured a place on the Chiefs’ practise squad and must now prove he is worthy of selection for their active 53-man roster ahead of the new season, which begins on September 5. Even if he fails to make the initial cut, rules allow for an international player to be elevated to the active roster three times in a season.
What will be his position?
It is still early days but there are a number of options – running back, wide receiver, a hybrid of the two and kick returner. The last of these offers his best route into the NFL, at least in the early stages. Rule changes for the upcoming season have been designed to increase the number of kick returns and it is here that Rees-Zammit’s instinctive running skills, identification of gaps in the defence and athleticism will find their natural home. Apart from the presence of blockers and having to wear extensive padding, it would be the closest he comes to playing rugby on a gridiron field.
What are the odds of making it?
Even for a player with the physical attributes of Rees-Zammit, it will be incredibly hard to actually break through into the NFL. His speed over 40 yards, footwork and hands are valuable assets, but he is competing against rivals who have grown up playing a sport which is new to him. The instincts honed from gridiron exposure at an early age will be missing, while other aspects such as running routes, learning the playbook, experience of a different size ball and adapting to a whole new sporting culture are also obstacles to be navigated. Successfully swapping codes between rugby league and union is a challenge, never mind adapting to a new game altogether.
Which other rugby union players have made it?
From these shores, none. Christian Wade is the highest-profile example after he was recruited for the Buffalo Bills in 2019, also via the IPP. The electric former Wasps wing made an impressive start by scoring a stunning 70-yard touchdown in a pre-season game but he never made the active roster and returned to rugby union in 2022 by signing for Racing 92. Australian-born Hayden Smith and well-travelled Kenyan Daniel Adongo actually made appearances in the NFL, but only a handful between them. If Rees-Zammit is a success, he will be the first.
What happens if the move does not work out?
Moving to the NFL is a win-win scenario for the former Lions and Gloucester sensation. If he makes an impact for the Chiefs, he will become a superstar in British sport. Should it prove too hard a conversion even for an athlete of his quality, he can return to rugby knowing clubs will be queuing up to sign a finisher who has plundered 14 tries in 32 caps for Wales. And if he sees out his Chiefs contract, he will still only be 26-years-old.
Comments on RugbyPass
Grt bench player..keep him there..
3 Go to commentsA Springbok 2-0 win: haha told you we were champions now shut up An Irish 2-0 win: the referee was under orders from world rugby to cheat us but luckily we don’t care because this is part of Rassie’s grand world Cup plan.
106 Go to commentsI hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
5 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
5 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
5 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
106 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
106 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
106 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
106 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
106 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
106 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
106 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
3 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
106 Go to comments