JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Louis Rees-Zammit has a brand new place to associate with a brand new metropolis.
The previous rugby star is now a large receiver with the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending coaching camp with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs as a operating again. It isn’t a simple swap for even skilled NFL gamers, however Rees-Zammit is embracing it as he continues his dream of constructing it in skilled soccer.
“I believe I am a lot better off enjoying receiver with my measurement and power,” Rees-Zammit mentioned after Wednesday’s apply. “I believe that is most likely a place that fits me much more. I believe it was experiment to strive operating again out on the Chiefs, however I believe all of us realized that I might most likely be a receiver finally, and right here we’re immediately.
“I am loving coaching at receiver. I am loving studying the function and I’ll proceed to enhance.”
Rees-Zammit, who performed for Wales and toured with the British & Irish Lions, signed with the Chiefs in late March as a part of the Worldwide Participant Pathway program, which was established in 2017 as a technique to give athletes everywhere in the world an opportunity to make an NFL staff.
The Chiefs used Rees-Zammit, who had participated in a professional day on the College of South Florida in Tampa and ran a 4.43 40-yard sprint, as a operating again and he performed in all three of their preseason video games, carrying the ball six instances for 22 yards. He did play some snaps at receiver and likewise performed on particular groups on each punt and kick returns. He tried out as a kicker, as properly.
The Chiefs waived Rees-Zammit on Aug. 27 within the ultimate roster cuts, and he signed with the Jaguars a day later. Jacksonville was one of many groups that had expressed curiosity in signing him again in March. He mentioned he has no onerous emotions towards the Chiefs.
“I believe this most likely provides me the very best alternative to actually study and proceed to study, proceed to enhance,” he mentioned. “… So I believe this was most likely the right staff for me to come back to.
“… It was what it was [in Kansas City]. I attempted as onerous as I can to enhance on daily basis. I believe it was extra all the way down to me enjoying operating again and the power of operating again that they’d with that staff. Was I anticipating it? I do not know. However you have to take care of this stuff. Setbacks are going to come back in everybody’s careers; it is simply the way you bounce again.”
Rees-Zammit, 23, is a member of the apply squad, which implies he can apply in the course of the week however wouldn’t be eligible to play in a recreation until he’s elevated to the energetic roster. He’s one in all 4 receivers on the apply squad.
He is aware of he has a whole lot of work to do earlier than he might have an opportunity at making the energetic roster.
“The primary recreation of American soccer I ever performed was a month in the past, so it is very difficult, however on the similar time that is my dream,” he mentioned. “So I am very decided to make this dream a actuality and attempt to break into this staff. That is everybody’s purpose, to get into the 53, and I’ll proceed to study the playbook. I believe that is most likely a very powerful factor proper now since altering groups and altering full playbooks. I have to attempt to study as fast as doable to have an opportunity.”
Even when he does not make the energetic roster this season, he can be again within the U.Ok. in October as a result of the Jaguars will deliver the apply squad gamers with them for his or her back-to-back video games in London towards the Chicago Bears (Oct. 13 at Wembley Stadium) and New England Patriots (Oct. 20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium).
The primary NFL recreation Rees-Zammit attended was at Wembley Stadium when the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals tied 27-27 on Oct. 30, 2016. His father was a Redskins fan and launched him to American soccer as a baby, which sparked his dream of at some point enjoying within the NFL.
“I’ve beloved it ever since watching my first recreation on TV, by no means thoughts in actual life,” he mentioned. “… Now I am having the ability to practice it and play it.”