Wales rugby standout Louis Rees-Zammit has signed a cope with the NFL’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, the two-time defending Tremendous Bowl champions introduced on Friday.
“Rees-Lightning has arrived,” the Chiefs posted on X with a lightning bolt emoji and a photograph of the 23-year-old Welshman enjoying for his homeland in a “Chiefs Kingdom” welcome.
“Hello Chiefs Kingdom. Louis Rees-Zammit right here. Simply signed. Can’t wait to go and see you all at Arrowhead (Stadium),” Rees-Zammit stated in a video clip posted on X.
Our latest Chief from throughout the pond! pic.twitter.com/Y6qjHTmCBC
— Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 29, 2024
The NFL Community reported that Rees-Zammit, who performed for English Premiership facet Gloucester from 2018 till this yr, has signed a three-year cope with a signing bonus and a few portion of the deal assured.
That’s an important a part of the cope with NFL groups in a position to finish contracts by dropping gamers.
Rees-Zammit stated in January he was leaving rugby union to discover an NFL profession and have become a part of the NFL Worldwide Participant Pathway Program, created in 2017 to assist international athletes make their approach into American soccer.
Rees-Zammit performed a exercise for scouts final week — one the Chiefs stated included a 4.44-second 40-yard sprint that may have ranked fifth amongst tailbacks at this yr’s NFL Scouting Mix for NFL Draft expertise.
The Welshman reportedly visited the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos in addition to the Chiefs earlier than selecting a desired new NFL house.
He turns into the thirty seventh participant from the worldwide expertise program to signal an NFL contract and now hopes to turn out to be solely the sixth to achieve an lively roster spot.
NFL golf equipment obtain a coaching camp roster exemption for a global participant and this yr have a follow squad international berth out there particularly for such a participant as Rees-Zammit.
NFL groups are allowed to raise worldwide gamers from the follow squad 3 times through the season, offering extra possibilities for gamers to develop and enhance by going through top-level opponents in regular-season contests.
There’s additionally an opportunity Rees-Zammit, being eyed as a rusher or broad receiver in addition to on kick groups, may make the primary roster relying on how effectively he performs in Chiefs coaching camp exercises and pre-season video games.
However it’s a uncommon feat, up to now solely achieved by Philadelphia offensive deal with Jordan Mailata of Australia, a former rugby league participant; Washington defensive finish Efe Obada, a Nigerian-born Briton; German fullback Jakob Johnson of the Las Vegas Raiders plus former Washington defensive lineman David Bada of Germany and former Washington tight finish Sammis Reyes of Chile.
Rees-Zammit, in a posting on the Chiefs web site, stated his favourite NFL participant when he was a baby was broad receiver DeSean Jackson, who performed 5 seasons in Philadelphia beneath present Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
Rees-Zammit may additionally be aided in his NFL dream by rule modifications authorized by NFL membership homeowners this week relating to kickoffs, which have been transformed to a extra rugby-style catching and runback format with kicks from effectively behind a spread-out line — solely Rees-Zammit would have the help of blockers on kick returns.
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Photograph: CHRISTIAAN KOTZE/AFP through Getty Pictures
