Kansas City Chiefs RB and former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit can't crack 53-man roster in first year
The Kansas City Chiefs have released running back and former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. Rees-Zammit was one of the more high-profile free agent signings of the offseason given that he had no previous experience playing football. After six years as a professional rugby player in Europe, Rees-Zammit retired from the […]
The Kansas City Chiefs have released running back and former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz.
Rees-Zammit was one of the more high-profile free agent signings of the offseason given that he had no previous experience playing football. After six years as a professional rugby player in Europe, Rees-Zammit retired from the sport and joined the NFL through International Pathway Player Program.
Rees-Zammit grew up as a football fan thanks in large part to his father playing American football for an aspiring league in Great Britain. He met with several NFL franchises before signing with the Chiefs. Teams were intrigued by his speed and catching abilities as well as his aptness to breaking tackles.
Even with all of those attributes, it was always going to be a longshot for Rees-Zammit to crack the 53-man roster. Learning to play a new sport at the professional level would be a tall task for anyone regardless of how athletically gifted they may be. Not mention, having to learn enough of an NFL playbook and memorize football terminology in a matter of months is simply not realistic.
The good news for Rees-Zammit is that his release doesn't have to be the end of his NFL career, or even his time with the Chiefs. He is a great candidate for the practice squad, as he can continue to learn the mental side of the game while polishing his physical skills.
At just 23-years-old and having less than six months of football playing experience, there are still leaps and bounds of improvement that Rees-Zammit can make in his game.
He could be drastically improved by next year's training camp and have a real shot at making either K.C.'s or someone else's roster. Rees-Zammit finished the 2024 preseason strong with a 5.2 rushing yards per carry average and a 36-yard kickoff return against the Chicago Bears.
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