“The first game of American football I ever played was a month ago,” Rees-Zammit stated to these journalists in early September. “It’s very challenging. I can feel that, but at the same time, this is my dream. I’m very determined to make this dream a reality and try and break into this team.”
His 2024 has up to now clear Rees-Zammit, 23, uproot his era as a world-class rugby participant, and residential in Penarth — a the city 3 miles south of Cardiff in Wales — to chase his dream of cracking the NFL. It already has taken him from the Global Participant Pathway in Florida to signing with the Chiefs and going from that prime to the unhappiness of being waived 5 months then. And now the exit has taken him to Jacksonville, as one in every of 17 gamers at the Jaguars’ apply squad. Rees-Zammit is within the U.Okay. this presen for the second one of Jacksonville’s two world video games (vs. the Patriots, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Community), however isn’t anticipated to fit up. “It’s been a whirlwind of a couple of months, but I’m here now and I’m trying to improve as much as I can every day to be a better player and person. I’ve got to stay patient and trust the process,” he advised ESPN.
Rees-Zammit’s exit elicits the query: Why? He may just’ve stayed in rugby and established himself as probably the most game’s superb fashionable wingers; there have been alternative choices past the U.Okay.: He may just’ve signed a monster offer in Japan or long past to France for bulky cash to win the game’s largest trophies.
But it surely at all times has been about community for Louis Rees-Zammit. He has a silhouette of his community tattooed on his wrist, along Zeus and alternative symbols of Greek mythology. When requested about his “why,” he says all of it comes again to his dad, Joe. The pair bonded over a mutual love of soccer, spending their Sundays at the sofa, observing the NFL RedZone channel and younger Louis dreaming of 1 presen working out of the tunnel ahead of an NFL recreation.
He recalls Joe’s tales about his favourite NFL group, the Washington Commanders, and his personal enjoy of enjoying American soccer for the Cardiff Tigers and Oxford Saints of the British American Soccer League within the Eighties.
“Making this switch to the NFL was a dream my dad would’ve loved to do. He couldn’t, but he’s out here with me every step of the way,” Rees-Zammit advised ESPN in September. He needs to turn it’s imaginable to advance from rugby to the NFL. “I’m just ready to show everyone what I can do.”
There weren’t meant to be any surprises on the Vale Lodge on Jan. 16. It was once Wales’ Six International locations squad naming presen at their bottom 10 miles outdoor of Cardiff — it’s the presen when the rustic’s plans are laid out for the yearly combat for northern hemisphere top between England, Italy, France, Wales, Eire and Scotland. However as midday ticked round, the squad announcement was once behind schedule. Normally, journalists would obtain the e-mail with the 34 or so names written ailing, and upcoming head trainer Warren Gatland would seem and solution all method of questions about his concept procedure.
At 12.37 p.m. that presen, Rees-Zammit posted on his social media channels that he’d leave rugby. He was once one in every of Wales’ brightest abilities — the younger winger was once probably the most easiest on this planet in his place and probably the most few assured starters on Gatland’s group. Rees-Zammit made the verdict on Jan. 12 that he sought after to provide the NFL’s Global Participant Pathway Program (IPP) a advance. Refer to presen he scored in Gloucester’s 21-20 win towards Edinburgh.
It was once a seismic announcement — the type that makes a reporter’s telephone trifle away. up from contacts in search of the “real” explanation why Rees-Zammit had leave rugby to attempt his hand on the NFL.
Gatland won the inside track of Rees-Zammit’s defection an pace ahead of he was once moving to approve the squad announcement and upcoming stated to Rees-Zammit at about 12.30 p.m. “It was a little bit of a shock,” Gatland stated. “Things happened quickly.” Nearest that night later the injury of the announcement had quelled, Gatland advised ESPN: “He will surprise a few people. He wants that dream.”
Wales trainer Gatland ‘a modest bit surprised’ by means of Rees-Zammit’s NFL transfer
Wales rugby union head trainer Warren Gatland reacts to winger Louis Rees-Zammit quitting rugby to pursue a profession within the NFL.
Rees-Zammit felt the timing was once very best — regardless of his brilliance at rugby. He excelled within the 15-man code, scoring 38 tries in 69 for Gloucester, 14 in 31 for Wales and toured with the British & Irish Lions to South Africa in 2021. It was once a prolific file, the type that may put a participant the most effective within the game. However there was once at all times this itch.
“I’ve always known about the [IPP] program, the program’s always known about me, but it was just about figuring a time out for me when I thought leaving rugby was the right time,” Rees-Zammit advised ESPN in March. “I’ve kind of done everything I’ve wanted to do in rugby. I maybe haven’t won everything, but … this was the perfect time for me.” Worst-case situation, if it didn’t determine within the NFL, he’d come again to rugby the place he’d have his select of golf equipment.
4 days later he made his announcement, Rees-Zammit was once off to Florida and the IPP.
“I didn’t have time to even think about the decision. I was on a plane and straight into training,” he stated. “I haven’t looked back since.”
When he arrived within the U.S., Rees-Zammit immersed himself within the game. He shared an condominium with Honour Olatoke, a Nigerian-Scottish sprinter and budding broad receiver, on the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. “Whenever we were at home, we just put the football on immediately and tried to continue to learn because we were playing catch-up,” Rees-Zammit stated.
There have been 16 hopefuls within the 2024 IPP program, every realizing the 32 NFL golf equipment had a seventeenth roster justified apply squads for a world participant. Golf equipment had been additionally allowed to advertise a world apply squad participant to their energetic rosters a most of thrice in step with season, so the possibilities of recreation hour had been tangible, albeit thin.
Rees-Zammit isn’t the primary to change rugby for a anticipation on the NFL. Naas Botha — the ex-South Africa fly-half — had a tribulation with the Dallas Cowboys in 1983. Hayden Smith performed for Saracens and the U.S. nationwide group, along a season with the Untouched York Jets as a good finish within the 2012 season.
Probably the most noteceable graduate from the IPP is Jordan Mailata. He performed second-grade (second-level) rugby league in Sydney, graduated during the IPP in 2018 and is a staple at the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive take on. Others who went from the IPP to assemble energetic rosters come with Jakob Johnson (Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders), Efe Obada (Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Expenses, Washington), Sammis Reyes (Washington) and David Bada (Washington).
Others from rugby union have graduated from the IPP to be signed equivalent to Alex Grey (Atlanta Falcons), Christian Scotland-Williamson (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Christian Wade (Buffalo Expenses) however none performed within the NFL. Wade’s exit as a working again lasted from April 2019 thru to April 2022, and although he scored a 65-yard landing in a preseason recreation towards the Indianapolis Colts, he’s now again in rugby union enjoying in France. However the enjoy was once jarring — he was once clear of house, studying a fresh game that others had performed since formative years. “You do have to go to a dark place,” Wade stated. “It is not about going to a dark place once — it is for months and years. And to be honest, the whole experience can be very lonely.”
For Rees-Zammit, who stands 6-foot-2 and 207 kilos (1.88m, 94kg), probably the most largest questions was once about his eventual place. “There’s a lot of transferable skills from rugby that I can bring to the game,” he advised ESPN in March. He discussed particular groups, working again and broad receiver as choices. He pored over clips of DeSean Jackson, previously with the Eagles, Deebo Samuel Sr. and Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers and the way they created unpredictable havoc with the ball of their fingers. “I think the best thing is to be versatile and be able to play multiple positions.”
There have been early demanding situations, equivalent to studying the playbook and run routes, at the side of the power to scan the discipline amid the confines of a helmet. When Rees-Zammit penniless the order in rugby, ceaselessly it might be a sweeping progress, dancing thru defenders in a phenomenal, damaging arc. His pace was once one in every of his biggest strengths, working 100 meters in 10.44 seconds. However within the NFL his position was once extra start-stop-start. “In rugby, you’re never having to accelerate fully and then decelerate immediately. I love running routes. I’m getting way smoother. You need to have your body under control.”
One of the crucial focuses for the pinnacle of the IPP program James Cook dinner and his group was once to show the gamers to evolve their carrying instincts to their fresh craft instead than “unlearning what made them exceptional,” as Cook dinner places it.
Amid the serious 10-week camp, the gamers all had March 20 turned around. That was once the professional presen after they’d hope to provoke scouts. The theme of the 2024 category was once the want to be “uncommon.” At the eve of the professional presen, they got hoodies. At the again was once written: “Uncommon: 1. Not ordinarily encountered. 2. Remarkable, exceptional.”
Hamilton: Rees-Zammit seeking to assemble NFL dream a fact
Tom Hamilton reacts to Welsh rugby megastar Louis Rees-Zammit’s injury announcement that he’s quitting the game to tied the NFL world participant pathway.
On March 20, the crowd headed to the indoor apply facility on the College of South Florida, the place 31 scouts from the 32 groups had been in attendance (the Los Angeles Rams weren’t there).
Rees-Zammit didn’t get frightened ahead of bulky rugby suits, however on that morning he says he felt butterflies. “I’ve always loved playing rugby, and I just play with no fear,” he stated on the hour. “If I’ve got no fear, I know I’m going to task well. Now I’ve got to take the next step, get to the next thing.”
The professional presen began with taking the gamers’ measurables: peak, weight, wingspan. After got here the beginning of the bodily assessments with the bench press first up, as they had been examined on what number of reps they might do at 102.5kg (roughly 225 kilos). Rees-Zammit appeared visibly annoyed later jumping 9 toes, 7 inches within the large leap (which might have left him outdoor the manage 30 for broad receivers on the NFL’s annual scouting mix and nineteenth for working backs) and he reached 29 inches within the vertical leap.
However upcoming got here Rees-Zammit’s uniqueness: the 40-yard sprint. His nickname is “Rees-Lightning”; he has a lightning bolt tattooed on his proper wrist. In 2021, he reached a pace of 24.2 mph pace enjoying for Wales towards Fiji — the third-fastest recorded hour in males’s rugby. In his first effort on the 40-yard sprint amid the humidity of South Florida, he clocked a hour of four.5 seconds. He knew he may just advance quicker. In his moment run, he sprinted a hour of four.43 (one that may have ranked him because the fifth-fastest working again on the mix, or the Fifteenth-fastest broad receiver). “Last week, I was getting some really good times,” he advised journalists on the professional presen. “I was getting low 4.3s, high 4.2s. So it is what it is. It’s just what happens on the day. But I know I can run that fast.” He was once additionally examined over the cut trip, three-cone drill and upcoming the positional drills as he ran routes in entrance of the 51 scouts in attendance.
Upcoming the gamers completed, the scouts flocked across the athletes. Rees-Zammit was once requested about his community, whether or not he’d ever had surgical procedure or sustained a concussion, had an agent, was once on any fix or if he’d ever been in bother with the legislation. He responded each and every query. After the telephone began ringing.
In keeping with a supply similar to him, “over a dozen teams” confirmed pastime in Rees-Zammit. When he stated to ESPN in March ahead of his professional presen, Rees-Zammit laid out what he was hoping for from a group: “That dream looks like finding a team that’s right for me and has a plan. I think that’s the biggest thing for me is having a plan with a team and being on the same page.” He returned to the IMG bottom later the professional presen overdue within the night. By way of 2:45 the after morning he was once in a automobile to the airport making ready to journey to groups. He visited the Untouched York Jets and Cleveland Browns, pace the Jacksonville Jaguars had been prepared to fulfill him, in step with a supply with wisdom of his marketplace.
He had 3 alternative group visits deliberate however upcoming got here the decision from the Kansas Town Chiefs. Each Andy Reid and basic supervisor Brett Veach were involved. In keeping with Cook dinner, Veach advised Rees-Zammit: “Coach Reid doesn’t call everyone, he doesn’t even call everyone on their 90-man roster when they go into training camp. So believe that we’re all-in on this and we’re committed to you.”
“Rees-Lightning has arrived” learn the publish from the Chiefs’ Instagram account on March 29. Their “newest Chief from across the pond,” as they put it, had signed a three-year offer. The back-to-back reigning Tremendous Bowl champions introduced Rees-Zammit as a working again, dressed in jersey Disagree. 9. Whilst he arrived at Arrowhead Stadium and the Chiefs’ facility, there was once nonetheless pastime from the Denver Broncos to peer if they might convince a overdue alternate of middle. Franchises had been neatly conscious about his doable.
“He first got on our radar at the end of the season,” one AFC government, whose group closely scouted Rees-Zammit, advised ESPN. “He was supposed to visit us before Kansas City signed him.
“The velocity and athleticism is there. Obvious-field working and warding off guys, that’s what I noticed as a power. He’s quicker than the rugby guys he was once working with.”
He signed the contract in Kansas City alongside his father, Joe, mother, Maxine and older brother, Taylor. He was shown his seat in the locker room, positioned in between wide receiver Justyn Ross and linebacker Darius Harris. He received messages from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce welcoming him; he told Kelce — who called him “tremendous artful” on the New Heights podcast — he was ready for the lateral pass whenever there was an opportunity. Jason Kelce said he hoped Rees-Zammit would take the world by “f—ing typhoon”, and said if it worked out, he could be the most “marketable participant of all hour” while also talking up his appreciation of Rees-Zammit’s immaculate teeth.
After it was once again to the U.Okay. — again to regroup, and prolong his visa, pace coaching to get quicker and more potent with an organization referred to as “Kaizen Rugby” ahead of becoming a member of the Chiefs for his or her offseason exercise program.
Upon his go back to the U.S., Rees-Zammit immersed himself in Chiefs era. He going to Mahomes’ casual camp at his house in Texas and spent hour operating one-on-one with the quarterback’s mentor, Bobby Troupe. In early Might, he opposed by means of the NFL draft in Detroit, upcoming it was once directly to the 74-player rookie camp from Might 4-6. Rees-Zammit was once indexed as a working again and made a noteceable contribution right through an 11-on-11 length on Might 5 when he recommended himself during the protection for an noteceable acquire.
“It was amazing,” Rees-Zammit stated. “When there’s open fields, I feel like I’m playing rugby again. I can use my awareness. When I am in space then, that’s where I can cause the most damage.”
Coaching camp at Missouri Western Shape College began on July 16. Upcoming a complete presen of coaching, Rees-Zammit would spend two hours within the night, between 8-10 p.m., studying the playbook, and fast-tracking the method as easiest he may just. “For me, he’s been great,” Dave Toub, Chiefs workman head trainer and particular groups coordinator, stated forward of the preseason recreation towards the Jaguars. “I mean, he’s doing a good job as a returner. He’s got to continue to get better as a running back. He’s got to learn stuff and pass blocking.
“We’re moving to attempt to do the whole thing we will to deliver him up to the mark. I don’t assume there’s any query he may just do it. It’s now not about his toughness or the rest like that.”
Three dates were circled in Rees-Zammit’s diary with the Chiefs facing the Jaguars on Aug. 10, the Detroit Lions on Aug. 17 and the Chicago Bears on Aug. 22. There was speculation over when Rees-Zammit would play — in the end, he did a bit of everything. Against the Jaguars he played as a running back, kick returner and place-kicker, alongside being part of the punt coverage team. He finished with two carries for one yard, and also caught the only pass thrown his way for three yards while making a solo tackle on special teams. In the week leading up to the Lions’ matchup, he was nursing a back injury but returned a punt for 27 yards and played some snaps as a wide receiver, though he made no catches in his debut at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I cruel, enjoying with arguably the best quarterback of all hour, biggest tight finish of all hour, the best trainer of all hour, simply with the ability to be told beneath the ones gamers and coaches was once what I wished,” he told ESPN.
He reflected on his progress after that game, telling reporters about how he was fine-tuning his pass blocking. “I’m now not moving to be the most productive participant on this planet in a single day, so I’ve were given to be affected person and the extra reps at the discipline I am getting, the simpler I’m moving to get,” Rees-Zammit said. “Crowd attempt and put me ailing and stuff like that as a result of I’ve had one recreation in my era, however I’m moving to proceed to paintings sun-baked each and every presen.”
Louis Rees-Zammit: It’s time to make my NFL dream a reality
Former Welsh rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit says the time has come to make his NFL dreams a reality after being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It was in that final audition against the Bears on Aug. 22, that he recorded a career-high return of 36 yards. He had four carries as a running back for 21 yards. “We attempted to get him the ball a modest bit this night, and he had some actual sure yards,” Reid said after the Bears matchup. “He’s a heck of an athlete. It’s only a topic of having extra habitual with it as he is going right here. We’ll see how the whole thing works out for him.”
But a day before the Chiefs’ squad announcement on Aug. 27, footage emerged of JuJu Smith-Schuster wearing Rees-Zammit’s No. 9 jersey. When the final 53 was revealed, Rees-Zammit was part of a group of players who were waived by the Chiefs.
By Aug. 28, he’d been signed to the Jaguars practice squad as their 17th spot, reserved for IPP graduates. Back at Chiefs headquarters, Veach faced reporters and explained what happened with Rees-Zammit.
“Yeah, we stored it perceivable [the practice squad spot]. We needed the child to have a look at perhaps some other alternatives as neatly,” Veach said. “Good-looking impressive while you consider a participant that doesn’t have any professional American soccer enjoy. We had been roughly desirous about it going thru camp: Believe now not having any kind of foundational background, simply to be thrown in and be doing one-on-one go execs with a Drue Tranquill or a Nick Bolton. I cruel that’s nice-looking improbable.”
Veach stated Rees-Zammit’s after step was once to slim in on a place. “For him, it will be just finding out that exact position, running back, maybe a big slot receiver. Think he does have some potential as a returner. I’m not so sure he couldn’t be a kicker. I mean, he has an outstanding leg and with this new role [the NFL’s newly introduced dynamic kickoff], he can do some different things, provide some versatility.”
Over in Jacksonville, Rees-Zammit was once adjusting to era in a fresh house and place. They Jaguars shifted him from working again to broad receiver. As he picked up the playbook, offered himself to his teammates, and attempted to whisk keep, it appeared he was once nonetheless processing his exit. When the Chiefs had been introduced up, Rees-Zammit gave the slightest wince. It harm him, however upcoming got here that resolute self belief in what he’s doing.
“Maybe they just didn’t see me as a running back and they didn’t have time to see me as a wide receiver,” he advised ESPN in mid-September. “We’ve started the season, they’re going for the three-peat and maybe they just didn’t have time to develop me into a wide receiver, but it is what it is. They gave me my first opportunity to be in the NFL, so I’m forever grateful for that.
“Now I’m at Jacksonville, humming as a result of I am getting to play games a place that I’ve at all times sought after to play games and so they’ve allowed me a chance to do this and I’m operating sun-baked each and every presen to be the most productive participant I will.”
When Rees-Zammit spoke to ESPN in the week after the Jags’ regular-season opener against the Dolphins, he was talking near the apartment he shares with his brother overlooking the beach. His parents have their apartment in the same block. It’s a family effort, and their support is unconditional. They shared a moment on the Arrowhead Stadium field after his last game there, taking stock of what he’d achieved, but also taking a breath before the next push.
“My dad has been there through every moment of my career so far,” Rees-Zammit stated. “There’re always ups and downs no matter what you do in life, but it’s just about getting through those downs and creating more ups and being able to just be consistent.”
Regardless of the Chiefs setback, Rees-Zammit’s dream remainder the similar: He needs to fracture the NFL. Earlier than the Jaguars’ first London recreation towards the Chicago Bears extreme presen, Rees-Zammit was once at the sideline, clear chatting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and a montage performed of him at the bulky display screen at Tottenham’s stadium. However as soon as the motion began, he was once nonetheless a spectator within the community, simply as he was once at a Packers matchup with the Untouched York Giants in 2022. In a game the place he’s required to run swift, Rees-Zammit wishes to stick affected person.
“We’re just going with the flow and I’m working my arse off to make this dream come true and make the team,” he stated. “So it’s going to take a bit of time. I’ve got a bit of patience and got to stay patient with the process and hopefully, everything will work out fine. I know how far away the end goal is, how much work that’s going to take and what it’s going to take to reach that. I’m working as hard as I can every day and then we’ll see what happens in the end.”
NFL journalists Adam Teicher and Michael Di Rocco contributed to this document.
