Check out this video of #Chiefs RB Louis Rees-Zammit honing his skills as a blocker during Kansas City’s training camp practice on Friday.
The Kansas City Chiefs are honing their game during training camp at Missouri Western State Univerity in St. Joseph. With each passing day, players are getting more into their grooves ahead of the team’s preseason debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Though veterans like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Trent McDuffie are already starting to peak, some of the younger players are still perfecting their techniques before next week’s regular season exhibition.
One such player is former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who was seen running blocking drills against rookie linebacker Swayze Bozeman in a video posted to Twitter by Fox 4 K.C.’s PJ Green:
Though Rees-Zammit won’t be expected to compete with starting running back Isiah Pacheco for the top spot on Kansas City’s depth chart, his effort during practice could help him earn a valuable backup role in his first season with the Chiefs.
Be on the lookout for Rees-Zammit in Kansas City’s three preseason games to see if his rugby background helps him thrive in the NFL.
Take a look at these photos of #Chiefs RB Louis Rees-Zammit, which were posted by the former rugby star on Twitter.
Former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has been one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ most exciting players to watch during training camp, and after a few weeks of NFL practices under his belt, the rising running back is garnering more attention from fans every day.
Though he won’t be expected to push Isiah Pacheco for the starting spot in Kansas City’s backfield, Rees-Zammit has an opportunity to fight for playing time in short-yardage situations and has made his case for a spot on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster in St. Joseph.
This week, Rees-Zammit shared these photos from training camp on his Twitter account:
— Louis Rees-Zammit ⚡️ (@LouisReesZammit) July 30, 2024
Few players on the Chiefs’ roster have a better opportunity to make an impact as a rookie than Rees-Zammit, who seems uniquely positioned to earn meaningful snaps in Andy Reid’s offense this year.
Expect to see more from Kansas City’s newest training camp darling as practices continue in St. Joseph.
Take a look at this video of #Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco coaching up Louis Rees-Zammit during a practice at Chiefs training camp.
The Kansas City Chiefs found their rhythm running the ball in 2023, and even after the defending champions brought in receivers to help their passing game in the offseason, their rushing attack will continue to be a crucial part of Andy Reid’s offense.
Despite being led by Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City’s ground attack is expected to be buoyed by former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who signed with the Chiefs in March.
Rees-Zammit received some one-on-one coaching from Pacheco at training camp during a recent practice, which was documented in a video posted by one of the NFL’s international Twitter accounts.
Though Rees-Zammit isn’t expected to push Pacheco for a starting spot this season, his hard-nosed running style could be a boon for Kansas City’s offense in goal line and short yardage situations.
Expect to see more interactions between Pacheco and Rees-Zammit as training camp continues in St. Joseph.
Kansas City #Chiefs Dave Toub details plans for the new kickoff rule utilizing Harrison Butker | @EdEastonJr
The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for the new season at training camp with various new procedures and personnel.
Chiefs Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub spoke with reporters after Saturday’s practice. He focused on the new kickoff rules this season and broke down his plans for the Chiefs, including personnel and hitting the target zone.
“(Harrison) Butker’s gonna be our main kickoff guy, I mean, hands down. Because he can move the ball and do a lot of different things, he’s our most talented kickoff guy,” said Toub. “Other guys that can kick off, Justin (Reid) and Louis (Rees-Zammit), he’ll be able to kick off and be able to cover, so you just want them to get the ball into the target zone, where you’re trying to pin them down there, just with a good kick, and you’ve actually got eleven guys covering instead of ten.”
The change in kickoff rules will require the kicker to be more involved in coverage and get physical. The other change will be the location of the kick, which will hit a specific target zone.
“We’ve learned that you want to try to kick the ball without a lot of hang time. (It’s) a low ball that probably goes inside the 10, but maybe skips into the end zone,” said Toub. “A ball that they can’t get to right away. If they catch a ball on a line drive at the 10-yard line, it’s gonna be easy for them to get it out to the 30 like that, so you have to try to kick it away from the returners if you can. Hit it into the target zone and skip it into the end zone, possibly for a touchback where you get the ball at the 20. That’s the ultimate goal on the kickoff.”
The process of adjusting to the new rules will be ongoing, and there are expected to be more penalties during the preseason and early weeks of the regular season.
Kansas City #Chiefs RB Louis Rees-Zammit at training camp: “Rugby really prepared me for this” | @EdEastonJr
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Louis Rees-Zammit as a potential breakout player in their system, utilizing many skills that made him a famous rugby star.
As part of the rookie group already working at the Chiefs’ training camp, Rees-Zammit gave reporters an update on Thursday about his adjustment to the NFL and traits he learned from rugby.
“It’s just learning all the plays that are so different from what I’m used to. Obviously, in rugby, you don’t have to learn as much. But I think physically, I think I’m in good shape. I think rugby really prepared me for this with the condition, and it’s been in physical shape.” said Rees-Zammit. “I think the biggest difference is just mental, just staying on top of things, staying on top of the playbook, and making no mistakes.”
Rees-Zammit has already garnered attention on social media following the Chiefs posting highlights of him working with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He stood out in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, which led to his eventual signing with Kansas City.
“Yeah, so with the international player pathway, we’ve been there for about two months, with pads and helmets. So I was just trying to get used to it, to be honest. Obviously, never training with pads and a helmet is quite unusual.” said Rees-Zammit. “But that really prepped me to be able to come in here and kind of get the ball rolling straight away, not having to get used to, you know, the pads and the helmet. So, yeah, I was pretty prepared for that.”
The rookies continue to find their footing in the early stages of training camp, and things are expected to intensify once the veterans are in the mix. Many will be watching Rees-Zammit as a potential special teams standout as he continues to learn the game.
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid shared his plan for Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit during a press conference this week.
The Kansas City Chiefs made a surprising move a few weeks ago, signing former Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit. The move was forward-thinking and a potential game-changer if the rugby star can transition his skills to a football gridiron and contribute to the offense.
During Monday’s Zoom press conference with reporters, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid fielded questions about Rees-Zammit’s adaptation to NFL football.
“Yeah, so he was introduced to this when he was young when his dad played for six years in the European league,” Reid explained. “He’s somewhat familiar with the sport and has had success in rugby. And there are some similarities there as a contact sport, and he’s had the ball and does those things and runs with the ball.
“We’ll start him off at the running back position and get him to feel comfortable with that. Going forward here, he’s had an opportunity to also go down there to Dallas and work with Pat (Patrick Mahomes), and so again, he’ll get used to some of these calls through our Zooms and the plays, and then we’ll just see where it goes from there.”
Rees-Zammit announced months ago his intentions to join the NFL’s International Pathway program (IPP) to earn a spot on a roster. He thrilled scouts during his workouts enough for the Chiefs to bring him in this offseason.
“Dave (Toub) will have an opportunity to have him on special teams and see where that goes,” Reid said. “That’s not an easy transition, but he seems to have been wired to playing competitive rugby professionally since he was 17. He’s sitting there 23; he’s had a pretty good career, with that kind of understanding of the professional game and the mindset to play at the professional level.”
The change in kickoff formation for next season has led to more interest in Rugby players because of the similar alignments. Reid addressed the strong possibility of Rees-Zammit immediately filling that role.
“Potentially, they’re all out there working on returns,” said Reid, who left that decision to special teams coordinator Dave Toub. “So before and during practice, we’ll just see what his feel is and where that goes.”
The new kickoff format was inspired by the Spring Football League, the UFL, as the NFL attempts to innovate the process for better results in the future.
Rees-Zammit, 23, joins the Chiefs as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program and he will not count against the 90-man offseason roster limit during training camp. Each team will also have an extra spot on the practice squad this year designated for an international player.
Last year, Denver was allocated defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi as part of the IPP program, but he is no longer with the team. If the Broncos want to carry an international player on the squad this summer, they will have to look to other candidates after missing out on Rees-Zammit.
Since it launched in 2017, the IPP program has helped 38 international players reach the NFL. Going into the 2024 offseason, there are currently 19 IPP players on NFL rosters.
The #Chiefs are set to sign Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit via the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
The 2024 NFL offseason has already seen many surprising moves around the league in free agency. The Kansas City Chiefs added some star power on offense with veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown and traded L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans.
Kansas City may have just shocked the football world again this month with the news that they are adding a Welsh rugby star. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Chiefs will sign Louis Rees-Zammit on Friday to play running back and wide receiver.
Rees-Zammit announced his desire to pursue a career in the NFL, joining the league’s International Player Pathway, on his Instagram account in January.
“I would like to take the opportunity to announce a significant career decision that I have taken after careful consideration,” said Rees-Zammit. “In a move that I am extremely excited about, I can confirm I will be joining the NFL’s International Pathway program (IPP) in pursuit of earning a spot on an NFL roster in the United States for 2024.”
The new kickoff rules in the NFL are rumored to have contributed to the Chiefs giving the 23-year-old a chance at making the roster. He put together an impressive IPP pro day last week: 4.43 seconds in his 40-yard dash, a 9-foot-7-inch broad jump and a 29-inch vertical jump. He possesses qualities that could fit an Andy Reid-style offense.
The Broncos hosted Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on a free agent visit Monday.
The Denver Broncos hosted Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on a free agent visit Monday, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rees-Zammit (6-3, 194 pounds) played for Gloucester Rugby, a club team in England, from 2018-2024, scoring 190 points in 69 games. He has also played for Wales’ national rugby team since 2020, scoring 70 points in 31 games.
After playing as a wing and fullback in rugby, the 23-year-old athlete now hopes to play in the NFL as a running back/wide receiver/returner.
At the University of South Florida’s pro day last week, Rees-Zammit ran an unofficial 4.44-second 40-yard dash. He spent 10 weeks training at the IMG Academy in Florida leading up to USF’s pro day.
Rees-Zammit isn’t the first player to attempt switching from rugby to the NFL.
“I think there are a lot of transferable skills,” Rees-Zammit said in an interview with the Associated Press‘ Rob Maaddi last week. “In rugby, you’re always trying to get your hands on the ball as much as often and you’re always trying to break defenses, look for spaces, be aware.
“Catching kickoffs, catch and kick receipts, punt receipts, there’s a lot of transferable skills, and I think running back shows up probably best, getting the ball in my hand early, being able to pick a gap, being able to be aware of the surroundings.”
Those were rugby union players. Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata was a rugby league player in Australia before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. He has started 57 games in Philly since 2020.
Although he played a different version of rugby, Mailata could give hope to Rees-Zammit that a transition to American football is feasible.
NFL teams will have a 17th spot on the practice squad this season specifically designated for an international player, and teams can carry an extra international player on the roster during training camp (91 total).
Last spring, the Broncos were allocated defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway. Ndubuisi spent last season on Denver’s practice squad, but he is no longer listed on the roster on the team’s official website.
Members of the Cleveland Browns staff attended the Pro Day of rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit
The Cleveland Browns organization members attended the pro day of rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit. And following that, he is now slated to come to Berea for a pre-draft visit.
Rees-Zammit played rugby for Gloucester in the English Premiership league, the top league in England. He represents Wales in International play.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby fans when he announced he was leaving to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway. Rees-Zammit has never played organized football before. He’s projected to play receiver or running back based on his speed and ability to break tackles. Rees-Zammit ran an unofficial 4.44 40-yard dash at his pro day.
The program helps international players stay in the league by exempting them from roster limits in their first few years. The program’s biggest success story is former rugby star Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles. This year, the NFL expanded the program for all teams to participate instead of just a few.
Expect the Cleveland Browns to be interested in players from the program. The player pool in this NFL draft class is very shallow. General Manager Andrew Berry is constantly searching for creative solutions when constructing the roster.
