Can ex-rugby star turned Jacksonville Jaguar Louis Rees-Zammit break via within the NFL?

Louis Rees-Zammit was contemporary off the observe subject on the banks of St. Johns River in Jacksonville. His hair was slicked again with sweat and marks from his helmet seen on his brow and neck. With out taking a second, he had microphones in his face, fielding questions on a tumultuous 10 days that noticed him pack up his house close to Kansas Metropolis into six suitcases, fly 1,400 miles southeast to Jacksonville and shift positions from working again to vast receiver.

“The primary sport of American soccer I ever performed was a month in the past,” Rees-Zammit stated to these reporters in early September. “It’s extremely difficult. I can really feel that, however on the similar time, that is my dream. I am very decided to make this dream a actuality and try to break into this group.”

His 2024 has thus far seen Rees-Zammit, 23, uproot his life as a world-class rugby participant, and residential in Penarth — a city three miles south of Cardiff in Wales — to chase his dream of cracking the NFL. It already has taken him from the Worldwide Participant Pathway in Florida to signing with the Chiefs and going from that prime to the heartbreak of being waived 5 months later. And now the journey has taken him to Jacksonville, as one in all 17 gamers on the Jaguars’ observe squad. Rees-Zammit is within the U.Ok. this week for the second of Jacksonville’s two worldwide video games (vs. the Patriots, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Community), however will not be anticipated to swimsuit up. “It has been a whirlwind of a few months, however I am right here now and I am making an attempt to enhance as a lot as I can day by day to be a greater participant and particular person. I’ve received to remain affected person and belief the method,” he instructed ESPN.

Rees-Zammit’s journey elicits the query: Why? He may’ve stayed in rugby and established himself as one of many sport’s nice fashionable wingers; there have been different choices past the U.Ok.: He may’ve signed a monster deal in Japan or gone to France for giant cash to win the game’s greatest trophies.

Nevertheless it at all times has been about household for Louis Rees-Zammit. He has a silhouette of his household tattooed on his wrist, alongside Zeus and different 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 on the sofa, watching the NFL RedZone channel and younger Louis dreaming of at some point working out of the tunnel earlier than an NFL sport.

He remembers Joe’s tales about his favourite NFL group, the Washington Commanders, and his personal expertise of enjoying American soccer for the Cardiff Tigers and Oxford Saints of the British American Soccer League within the Nineteen Eighties.

“Making this change to the NFL was a dream my dad would’ve liked to do. He could not, however he is out right here with me each step of the best way,” Rees-Zammit instructed ESPN in September. He desires to point out it is doable to go from rugby to the NFL. “I am simply prepared to point out everybody what I can do.”

There weren’t alleged to be any surprises on the Vale Resort on Jan. 16. It was Wales’ Six Nations squad naming day at their base 10 miles exterior of Cardiff — it is the day when the nation’s plans are laid out for the annual battle for northern hemisphere supremacy between England, Italy, France, Wales, Eire and Scotland. However as midday ticked round, the squad announcement was delayed. Normally, reporters would obtain the e-mail with the 34 or so names written down, after which head coach Warren Gatland would seem and reply all method of questions on his thought course of.

At 12.37 p.m. that day, Rees-Zammit posted on his social media channels that he’d give up rugby. He was one in all Wales’ brightest abilities — the younger winger was among the finest on the planet in his place and one of many few assured starters on Gatland’s group. Rees-Zammit made the choice on Jan. 12 that he needed to present the NFL’s Worldwide Participant Pathway Program (IPP) a go. The next day he scored in Gloucester’s 21-20 win towards Edinburgh.

It was a seismic announcement — the kind that makes a reporter’s cellphone blow up from contacts searching for the “actual” purpose Rees-Zammit had give up rugby to strive his hand on the NFL.

Gatland obtained the information of Rees-Zammit’s defection an hour earlier than he was going to approve the squad announcement after which spoke to Rees-Zammit at about 12.30 p.m. “It was just a little little bit of a shock,” Gatland stated. “Issues occurred rapidly.” Later that night after the shock of the announcement had quelled, Gatland instructed ESPN: “He’ll shock just a few folks. He desires that dream.”

Rees-Zammit felt the timing was good — 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 a prolific report, the kind that may put a participant among the many finest within the sport. However there was at all times this itch.

“I’ve at all times identified in regards to the [IPP] program, this system’s at all times identified about me, but it surely was nearly figuring a day trip for me once I thought leaving rugby was the suitable time,” Rees-Zammit instructed ESPN in March. “I’ve sort of carried out every thing I’ve needed to do in rugby. I possibly have not received every thing, however … this was the proper time for me.” Worst-case situation, if it did not work out within the NFL, he’d come again to rugby the place he’d have his decide of golf equipment.

4 days after he made his announcement, Rees-Zammit was off to Florida and the IPP.

“I did not have time to even take into consideration the choice. I used to be on a airplane and straight into coaching,” he stated. “I have never regarded again since.”

When he arrived within the U.S., Rees-Zammit immersed himself within the sport. He shared an house with Praise Olatoke, a Nigerian-Scottish sprinter and budding vast receiver, on the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. “Every time we have been at house, we simply put the soccer on instantly and tried to proceed to be taught as a result of we have been enjoying 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 spot on observe squads for a global participant. Golf equipment have been additionally allowed to advertise a global observe squad participant to their lively rosters a most of thrice per season, so the possibilities of sport time have been tangible, albeit slim.

Rees-Zammit will not be the primary to swap rugby for an opportunity on the NFL. Naas Botha — the ex-South Africa fly-half — had a trial with the Dallas Cowboys in 1983. Hayden Smith performed for Saracens and the U.S. nationwide group, alongside a season with the New York Jets as a good finish within the 2012 season.

Probably the most notable graduate from the IPP is Jordan Mailata. He performed second-grade (second-level) rugby league in Sydney, graduated via the IPP in 2018 and is a staple on the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive sort out. Others who went from the IPP to make lively rosters embrace Jakob Johnson (Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders), Efe Obada (Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, 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 Payments) however none performed within the NFL. Wade’s journey as a working again lasted from April 2019 via to April 2022, and although he scored a 65-yard landing in a preseason sport towards the Indianapolis Colts, he’s now again in rugby union enjoying in France. However the expertise was jarring — he was away from house, studying a brand new sport that others had performed since childhood. “You do must go to a darkish place,” Wade stated. “It’s not about going to a darkish place as soon as — it’s for months and years. And to be trustworthy, the entire expertise could be very lonely.”

For Rees-Zammit, who stands 6-foot-2 and 207 kilos (1.88m, 94kg), one of many greatest questions was about his eventual place. “There’s a whole lot of transferable expertise from rugby that I can carry to the sport,” he instructed ESPN in March. He talked about particular groups, working again and vast 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 feel the perfect factor is to be versatile and be capable to play a number of positions.”

There have been early challenges, equivalent to studying the playbook and easy methods to run routes, together with the flexibility to scan the sphere amid the confines of a helmet. When Rees-Zammit broke the road in rugby, usually it will be a sweeping transfer, dancing via defenders in an exquisite, harmful arc. His velocity was one in all his biggest strengths, working 100 meters in 10.44 seconds. However within the NFL his position was extra start-stop-start. “In rugby, you are by no means having to speed up absolutely after which decelerate instantly. I like working routes. I am getting manner smoother. You want to have your physique beneath management.”

One of many focuses for the top of the IPP program James Cook and his group was to show the gamers to adapt their sporting instincts to their new craft somewhat than “unlearning what made them distinctive,” as Cook dinner places it.

Amid the extreme 10-week camp, the gamers all had March 20 circled. That was the professional day once they’d hope to impress scouts. The theme of the 2024 class was the have to be “unusual.” On the eve of the professional day, they got hoodies. On the again was written: “Unusual: 1. Not ordinarily encountered. 2. Outstanding, distinctive.”

On March 20, the group headed to the indoor observe facility on the College of South Florida, the place 31 scouts from the 32 groups have been in attendance (the Los Angeles Rams weren’t there).

Rees-Zammit did not get nervous earlier than large rugby matches, however on that morning he says he felt butterflies. “I’ve at all times liked enjoying rugby, and I simply play with no concern,” he stated on the time. “If I’ve received no concern, I do know I will activity nicely. Now I’ve received to take the following step, get to the following factor.”

The professional day began with taking the gamers’ measurables: peak, weight, wingspan. Then got here the beginning of the bodily assessments with the bench press first up, as they have been examined on what number of reps they may do at 102.5kg (roughly 225 kilos). Rees-Zammit regarded visibly annoyed after leaping 9 toes, 7 inches within the broad leap (which might have left him exterior the highest 30 for vast receivers on the NFL’s annual scouting mix and nineteenth for working backs) and he reached 29 inches within the vertical leap.

However then got here Rees-Zammit’s specialty: the 40-yard sprint. His nickname is “Rees-Lightning”; he has a lightning bolt tattooed on his proper wrist. In 2021, he reached a velocity of 24.2 mph whereas enjoying for Wales towards Fiji — the third-fastest recorded time in males’s rugby. In his first try on the 40-yard sprint amid the humidity of South Florida, he clocked a time of 4.5 seconds. He knew he may go sooner. In his second run, he sprinted a time of 4.43 (one that may have ranked him because the fifth-fastest working again on the mix, or the Fifteenth-fastest vast receiver). “Final week, I used to be getting some actually good instances,” he instructed reporters on the professional day. “I used to be getting low 4.3s, excessive 4.2s. So it’s what it’s. It is simply what occurs on the day. However I do know I can run that quick.” He was additionally examined over the quick shuttle, three-cone drill after which the positional drills as he ran routes in entrance of the 51 scouts in attendance.

After the gamers completed, the scouts flocked across the athletes. Rees-Zammit was requested about his household, whether or not he’d ever had surgical procedure or sustained a concussion, had an agent, was on any medicine or if he’d ever been in hassle with the legislation. He answered each query. Then the cellphone began ringing.

Based on a supply near him, “over a dozen groups” confirmed curiosity in Rees-Zammit. When he spoke to ESPN in March earlier than his professional day, Rees-Zammit laid out what he hoped for from a group: “That dream seems like discovering a group that is proper for me and has a plan. I feel that is the largest factor for me is having a plan with a group and being on the identical web page.” He returned to the IMG base after the professional day late within the night. By 2:45 the following morning he was in a automotive to the airport making ready to journey to groups. He visited the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, whereas the Jacksonville Jaguars have been eager to satisfy him, per a supply with data of his market.

He had three different group visits deliberate however then got here the decision from the Kansas City Chiefs. Each Andy Reid and common supervisor Brett Veach had been in contact. Based on Cook dinner, Veach instructed Rees-Zammit: “Coach Reid does not name everybody, he does not even name everybody on their 90-man roster once they go into coaching camp. So consider that we’re all-in on this and we’re dedicated to you.”

“Rees-Lightning has arrived” learn the submit from the Chiefs’ Instagram account on March 29. Their “latest Chief from throughout the pond,” as they put it, had signed a three-year deal. The back-to-back reigning Tremendous Bowl champions introduced Rees-Zammit as a working again, sporting jersey No. 9. At the same time as he arrived at Arrowhead Stadium and the Chiefs’ facility, there was nonetheless curiosity from the Denver Broncos to see if they may persuade a late change of coronary heart. Franchises have been nicely conscious of his potential.

“He first received on our radar on the finish of the season,” one AFC government, whose group closely scouted Rees-Zammit, instructed ESPN. “He was supposed to go to us earlier than Kansas Metropolis signed him.

“The velocity and athleticism is there. Open-field working and avoiding guys, that is what I noticed as a power. He is sooner than the rugby guys he was working with.”

He signed the contract in Kansas Metropolis alongside his father, Joe, mom, Maxine and older brother, Taylor. He was proven his seat within the locker room, positioned in between vast receiver Justyn Ross and linebacker Darius Harris. He obtained messages from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce welcoming him; he instructed Kelce — who known as him “tremendous suave” on the New Heights podcast — he was prepared for the lateral move every time there was a possibility. Jason Kelce stated he hoped Rees-Zammit would take the world by “f—ing storm”, and stated if it labored out, he may very well be probably the most “marketable participant of all time” whereas additionally speaking up his appreciation of Rees-Zammit’s immaculate tooth.

Then it was again to the U.Ok. — again to regroup, and lengthen his visa, whereas coaching to get sooner and stronger with an organization known as “Kaizen Rugby” earlier than becoming a member of the Chiefs for his or her offseason exercise program.

Upon his return to the U.S., Rees-Zammit immersed himself in Chiefs life. He went to Mahomes’ casual camp at his house in Texas and hung out working one-on-one with the quarterback’s coach, Bobby Troupe. In early Might, he stopped by the NFL draft in Detroit, then it was on to the 74-player rookie camp from Might 4-6. Rees-Zammit was listed as a working again and made a notable contribution throughout an 11-on-11 interval on Might 5 when he steered himself via the protection for a powerful acquire.

“It was wonderful,” Rees-Zammit stated. “When there’s open fields, I really feel like I am enjoying rugby once more. I can use my consciousness. When I’m in house then, that is the place I could cause probably the most injury.”

Coaching camp at Missouri Western State College began on July 16. After a full day 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 finest he may. “For me, he is been nice,” Dave Toub, Chiefs assistant head coach and particular groups coordinator, stated forward of the preseason sport towards the Jaguars. “I imply, he is doing a great job as a returner. He is received to proceed to get higher as a working again. He is received to be taught stuff and move blocking.

“We’ll attempt to do every thing we are able to to carry him up to the mark. I do not assume there’s any query he may do it. It is not about his toughness or something like that.”

Three dates have been circled in Rees-Zammit’s diary with the Chiefs dealing with the Jaguars on Aug. 10, the Detroit Lions on Aug. 17 and the Chicago Bears on Aug. 22. There was hypothesis over when Rees-Zammit would play — in the long run, he did a little bit of every thing. Towards the Jaguars he performed as a working again, kick returner and place-kicker, alongside being a part of the punt protection group. He completed with two carries for one yard, and likewise caught the one move thrown his manner for 3 yards whereas making a solo sort out on particular groups. Within the week main as much as the Lions’ matchup, he was nursing a again damage however returned a punt for 27 yards and performed some snaps as a large receiver, although he made no catches in his debut at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I imply, enjoying with arguably the best quarterback of all time, biggest tight finish of all time, the best coach of all time, simply having the ability to be taught beneath these gamers and coaches was what I wanted,” he instructed ESPN.

He mirrored on his progress after that sport, telling reporters about how he was fine-tuning his move blocking. “I am not going to be the perfect participant on the planet in a single day, so I’ve received to be affected person and the extra reps on the sphere I get, the higher I will get,” Rees-Zammit stated. “Folks try to put me down and stuff like that as a result of I’ve had one sport in my life, however I will proceed to work arduous day by day.”

It was in that last audition towards the Bears on Aug. 22, that he recorded a career-high return of 36 yards. He had 4 carries as a working again for 21 yards. “We tried to get him the ball just a little bit tonight, and he had some actual constructive yards,” Reid stated after the Bears matchup. “He is a heck of an athlete. It is only a matter of getting extra aware of it as he goes right here. We’ll see how every thing works out for him.”

However a day earlier than the Chiefs’ squad announcement on Aug. 27, footage emerged of JuJu Smith-Schuster sporting Rees-Zammit’s No. 9 jersey. When the ultimate 53 was revealed, Rees-Zammit was a part of a gaggle of gamers who have been waived by the Chiefs.

By Aug. 28, he’d been signed to the Jaguars observe squad as their seventeenth spot, reserved for IPP graduates. Again at Chiefs headquarters, Veach confronted reporters and defined what occurred with Rees-Zammit.

“Yeah, we stored it open [the practice squad spot]. We needed the child to take a look at possibly some completely different alternatives as nicely,” Veach stated. “Fairly exceptional when you consider a participant that does not have any professional American soccer expertise. We have been sort of occupied with it going via camp: Think about not having any form of foundational background, simply to be thrown in and be doing one-on-one move execs with a Drue Tranquill or a Nick Bolton. I imply that is fairly unbelievable.”

Veach stated Rees-Zammit’s subsequent step was to slim in on a place. “For him, will probably be simply discovering out that actual place, working again, possibly a giant slot receiver. Assume he does have some potential as a returner. I am not so positive he could not be a kicker. I imply, he has an excellent leg and with this new position [the NFL’s newly introduced dynamic kickoff], he can do some various things, present some versatility.”

Over in Jacksonville, Rees-Zammit was adjusting to life in a brand new house and place. They Jaguars shifted him from working again to vast receiver. As he picked up the playbook, launched himself to his teammates, and tried to take inventory, it appeared he was nonetheless processing his journey. When the Chiefs have been introduced up, Rees-Zammit gave the slightest wince. It harm him, however then got here that resolute confidence in what he is doing.

“Possibly they simply did not see me as a working again they usually did not have time to see me as a large receiver,” he instructed ESPN in mid-September. “We have began the season, they are going for the three-peat and possibly they simply did not have time to develop me into a large receiver, however it’s what it’s. They gave me my first alternative to be within the NFL, so I am endlessly grateful for that.

“Now I am at Jacksonville, buzzing as a result of I get to play a place that I’ve at all times needed to play they usually’ve allowed me a possibility to try this and I am working arduous day by day to be the perfect participant I can.”

When Rees-Zammit spoke to ESPN within the week after the Jags’ regular-season opener towards the Dolphins, he was speaking close to the house he shares together with his brother overlooking the seaside. His dad and mom have their house in the identical block. It is a household effort, and their help is unconditional. They shared a second on the Arrowhead Stadium subject after his final sport there, taking inventory of what he’d achieved, but additionally taking a breath earlier than the following push.

“My dad has been there via each second of my profession thus far,” Rees-Zammit stated. “There’re at all times ups and downs it doesn’t matter what you do in life, but it surely’s nearly getting via these downs and creating extra ups and having the ability to simply be constant.”

Regardless of the Chiefs setback, Rees-Zammit’s dream stays the identical: He desires to crack the NFL. Earlier than the Jaguars’ first London sport towards the Chicago Bears final week, Rees-Zammit was on the sideline, seen speaking to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and a montage performed of him on the large display at Tottenham’s stadium. However as soon as the motion began, he was nonetheless a spectator within the crowd, simply as he was at a Packers matchup with the New York Giants in 2022. In a sport the place he is required to run quick, Rees-Zammit wants to remain affected person.

“We’re simply going with the circulation and I am working my arse off to make this dream come true and make the group,” he stated. “So it may take a little bit of time. I’ve received a little bit of endurance and received to remain affected person with the method and hopefully, every thing will work out positive. I understand how far-off the tip objective is, how a lot work that is going to take and what it may take to achieve that. I am working as arduous as I can day by day after which we’ll see what occurs in the long run.”

NFL reporters Adam Teicher and Michael Di Rocco contributed to this report.