It’s official: rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit will play in the NFL. The Welsh rugby winger has long been open about transitioning to the gridiron, telling CNN that his father played American football in his youth. And now, he has a dynastic powerhouse for his first team, Stateside.
Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported on Wednesday that the Kansas City Chiefs have come to terms with Rees-Zammit, who also visited the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos and New York Jets.
While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Rees-Zammit is expected to sign on Friday and play running back/wide receiver.
Rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit will be signing with the #Chiefs on Friday, per sources.
After working out and impressing Kansas City’s staff earlier this week, they have agreed on terms. I’m told Rees-Zammit will be playing RB/WR. pic.twitter.com/o6ftzwhC6F
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 27, 2024
Reactions to the news were mixed:
“How much help does Mahomes need,” tweeted one.
Here are some of the top reactions on X:
HOW MUCH HELP DOES MAHOMES NEED https://t.co/CJnkPSYlLD pic.twitter.com/iVUeMttrfi
— Chase Snyder (@ChasingSnyder) March 27, 2024
chiefs 3-peat incoming https://t.co/pbLTGHBZ3I pic.twitter.com/2weLeduIsB
— ish ✨️ (@wickdlovely) March 28, 2024
Chiefs might be cooking https://t.co/1jAN4wfCdC pic.twitter.com/8Q4pOfOgl4
— Christian (@8LevistoDhop) March 28, 2024
If Louis Rees-Zammit gets activated before Week 1, he will be the sixth international player to do so. The other five are Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada.
What does Louis Rees-Zammit bring to the Kansas City Chiefs?
It’s no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs were carried hard by their defense in the 2023-24 season.
Dropped passes were a major talking point in their season-opening loss against the Detroit Lions. The notion of an offensive regression continued to be discussed even as the team regained their bearings, clinched the AFC West for the eighth straight time and went all the way to Super Bowl LVIII.
So where does Louis Rees-Zammit fit into Andy Reid’s system?
On offense, he could be deployed as an Austin Ekeler-type player: a dual threat who could both carry and cath the ball. And he’s both tall enough (Six-foot-three, 19-in vertical jump) to beat cornerbacks when fighting for passes and fast enough (4.43-s 40-yard dash) to prevent tackles.
However, his biggest advantage yet might be on special teams. The NFL recently reworked its kickoff rules in an attempt to increase return rates. Rees-Zammit is mobile and agile enough to shed tackles during returns – not surprising, considering that his NFL idol is DeSean Jackson, one of the most prolific returners of all time.
He could also be deployed on the other side as a gunner, as rugby requires participants to be adept at both offense and defense.
Thank You!
