ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Louis Rees-Zammit had a big grin on his face when he talked last month about how much he wanted to experience his first full-contact hit as an NFL player. The former Welsh rugby star, who joined the Kansas City Chiefs in March, knew he was just days away from his first training-camp practice in full pads.
“I can't wait to see the difference,” Rees-Zammit said.
He really thought, “Welcome to the NFL,” on the morning of July 28, when he was astonished by the intensity of the day. It was the Chiefs' third consecutive padded practice. Rees-Zammit's one-on-one drill that day was the kind of drill any NFL running back must endure. As linebackers and safeties charge into the backfield, the running back's only job is to keep defenders from getting close to the quarterback.
Across from Rees-Zammit was linebacker Cole Christiansen, who, like Rees-Zammit, is up for the final spot on the Chiefs' initial 53-man roster. With quarterback Patrick Mahomes holding the ball in the pocket, Christiansen attacked from the B-gap. The impact caused Rees-Zammit to lose his advantage, a reminder of just how much can be lost in pass-blocking drills. Christiansen ripped Rees-Zammit's cleats off.
“the Very physical“I've had to adapt and learn to be less tall. In rugby it's not a big deal. The blows you take here are a lot bigger. It's a totally different sport to be honest,” Rees-Zammit said after training on Wednesday.
“I've never passed protect before. In fact, it's prohibited in rugby. I have to work hard to learn it as soon as possible. You can't become a great player right away.”
#Chiefs Louis Rees-Zammit works on pass protection during a training camp practice on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/BLjhyi0ZLC
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) July 28, 2024
But appearances like the one against Christiansen were expected. No one on the Chiefs' 91-man roster is newer to the sport than 23-year-old Rees-Zammit, who will play his first official football game on Saturday when the Chiefs open their preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
For Rees-Zammit, Saturday's game, and training camp, is about showing the Chiefs how quickly he can learn and grow by gaining new experiences on the football field.
Seconds after the most embarrassing moment of camp, Rees-Zammit stood up, wiped the sweat from his eyes and got back into the two-point position. When the next one-on-one session began (again against Christiansen), Rees-Zammit managed to withstand his teammate's strength and push off of Mahomes.
“The transition has been great for him,” Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco said of Rees-Zammit. “Being the leader of the (running backs) I've been telling him, 'Just work hard and see it through.'”
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With just three games until the NFL's annual cut-down day on Aug. 27, Rees-Zammit is looking to do for the Chiefs what he did in rugby – make a splash sooner than anyone expected.
Rees-Zammit was an impactful newcomer when he signed his first professional contract with Gloucester aged 18, becoming the club's youngest ever Premiership player. Not only did he become Gloucester's youngest ever European try-scorer in 2019, but he also scored 12 tries in 15 games, demonstrating the rapid development rarely seen in professional rugby. As a rising winger in world rugby, his most obvious trait is his superior speed, which has earned him the nickname Reece Lightning.
Fans were drawn to Rees-Zammit because of his confident playing style, his looks and his desire to become an international celebrity at such a young age.
In 2021, Rees-Zammit led his country Wales to victory in the Six Nations, where he also produced his biggest highlight – a crucial game-winning try that showcased his skills: speed, hand-eye coordination and bold creativity. In the final minutes of an away game against Scotland, Rees-Zammit caught the ball on the periphery of the field and knew he had just one defender to beat. Sprinting, Rees-Zammit chipped the ball over the defender's head with his right foot, beat the defender and caught the ball on the first bounce for the winning point.
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He played 32 international matches for Wales, scoring 14 tries.
A few months after the Six Nations, Rees-Zammit received one of the highest honors in sport: selection for the British and Irish Lions, a team made up of players from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. But during the 2022 offseason, he began planning a game-changing move, working with longtime Atlanta performance coach Chip Smith, who has worked with more than 3,000 professional athletes, to become an NFL-caliber player.
“I've achieved everything I wanted to do in rugby,” Rees-Zammit said in early May. “I've always wanted to live in America and it was the perfect time to make it in the NFL and live here.”
The Winner is #Guinness Six Nations The championship try goes to… 🥁 Louis Rees-Zammit! 👏 pic.twitter.com/yUR12z8lwE
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) April 5, 2021
Rees-Zammit's move to the NFL was the biggest achievement for the league's International Player Pathway since its inception in 2017. The program recruits players from around the world with the goal of advancing the league's international ranks. Rees-Zammit ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds in front of scouts from 31 NFL teams at his pro day in March.
Rees-Zammit signed a three-year, $2.83 million contract with the Chiefs because he wanted to join a Super Bowl contender and because head coach Andy Reid thought his skills could be used in a versatile role as a running back. General manager Brett Veach said the Chiefs are focused on giving Rees-Zammit ample time to prove himself in the NFL. If Rees-Zammit struggles in the preseason, he could spend the majority of his rookie season further honing his skills on the practice squad.
“We know he's got unbelievable speed,” linebacker Drew Tranquill said of Rees-Zammit, “In pass pro, he's got to learn how to set up, how to take on blocks. He's got to learn the nuances of the game, but he's a great athlete and that will come with time.”
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Since joining the Chiefs, Rees-Zammit has earned the admiration of his teammates for his desire to learn all he can about the sport, the business of the NFL and how to maximize his skills as a running back.
“It's great to learn from all the boys who have been in the sport for so long,” Rees-Zammit said. “Isaiah has helped me so much.”
Pacheco often coaches Rees-Zammit on pass-blocking techniques during individual drills at practice, and in a video released by the Chiefs, Pacheco is seen giving Rees-Zammit pass-blocking advice, imparting the same lessons he learned from Jerick McKinnon as a rookie two years ago.
“We can help each other.”
It's really nice to see Chiefs starting running back Isaiah Pacheco coaching Louis Rees-Zammit. @Chiefs) pic.twitter.com/1oMMX08jVr
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) July 31, 2024
The 6-foot-2 Rees-Zammit came into camp at 209 pounds, putting on 16 pounds over the summer to prepare for the physical intensity of the league. He hasn't missed a practice and has shown durability and strong conditioning despite training in hotter temperatures than he's accustomed to. He's also improved on small details, like his pre-snap posture and consistent body language when lining up so he doesn't alert the defense to the upcoming play.
“The biggest difference is mentally,” he said. “I'm working nonstop to learn this playbook because the sooner I can play, the better. Meetings don't end until 8 p.m., so I'm spending an extra two hours learning the plays to catch up. There's no time to rest. This is my dream, so I have to give it my all.”
“My first goal is to make the team. I know special teams is going to be very important to me.”
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The best and most direct way for Rees-Zammit to make the roster is as a kickoff returner, and at the end of most practices, special teams coordinator Dave Toub had Rees-Zammit and receiver Nicco Remigio listed as the Chiefs' top two kickoff returners.
“I always tell my guys that there are three or four guys that make the team because of their special teams performance,” Reed said of Rees-Zammit and Remigio. “Those two probably fall into that category, but they still have to perform well at their position, they have to contribute in that area to make the team.”
Toub believes Rees-Zammit could be the perfect fit for the NFL's new kickoff rules.
Louis Rees-Zammit kickoff return 👀 pic.twitter.com/VYiD7qrOMW
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) July 31, 2024
The NFL has changed how kickoffs are handled, restoring the importance of the play. Last season, the kickoff return rate was just 21.8 percent, the lowest in the league's 104-year history. There were no kickoff returns in Super Bowl 53. League officials hope to increase the return rate to at least 30 percent this season.
The Chiefs will be hoping Rees-Zammit can combine the ball-carrying skills he has honed in rugby with the improved vision, acceleration and evasiveness he has shown in camp when he has the ball in the open field to make an impact on kick-off returns in pre-season.
“We're trying to get him in as much training as we can to get him up to speed,” Tobe said of Rees-Zammit. “He's great. He's done a good job as a returner.”
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Rees-Zammit didn't join the Chiefs just to be known as a kickoff returner.
He wants to keep the ball in his hands as much as possible and prove to the Chiefs that he can be a capable running back. He also wants to succeed for his father, Joseph Zammit, who introduced him to the NFL. Growing up in Penarth, Wales, Rees-Zammit attended many NFL games with his father, who was an American football aficionado and played as a receiver and running back for the Cardiff Tigers in the British Football Association in 1987.
“I told him how hard training camp was,” Rees-Zammit said of his father, “and he gave me tips and tricks on pass protection: getting closer, getting your hands on, getting down low.”
Repeated practice ⚡️ Louis Rees-Zammit pic.twitter.com/dK3IeHbwfh
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 28, 2024
Rees-Zammit did score some small victories in camp. The Chiefs' first padded practice was tough for Rees-Zammit. He was hit and tackled multiple times behind the line of scrimmage. The next day, he missed a wide-open running lane and instead ran into the back of tight end Irv Smith Jr. But the day after that, he showed better vision and patience on a stretch play, sprinting down the correct lane and completing that repeat without being touched by a defender.
Last week, Rees-Zammit's most impressive performance came as he played receiver in a one-on-one drill with linebacker Leo Chenal. Rees-Zammit showed off his speed on a fade route near the sideline, sprinted past Chenal to track down a deep pass and catch the ball 30 yards away. Rees-Zammit also won a one-on-one battle in pass protection with rookie linebacker Swayze Bozeman, ending with a jubilant roar from Pacheco.
“I'm incredibly proud of myself and the journey I've had so far,” Rees-Zammit said.
For Rees-Zammit, one of the best parts of Saturday's game will be having his parents, Joseph and Maxine, in the stands at EverBank Stadium watching him play.
“Yeah, he's as excited as I am,” Rees-Zammit said of his father. “It's a dream come true for him to pull on the shirt and have that moment. I'm just going to go out there and be totally focused on what I do.”
(Photo: Denny Medley/USA Today)
