Chiefs castoff still chasing NFL dream fans didn’t want to see die

Louis Rees-Zammit is aware his clock is ticking.

Rees-Zammit, a former rugby star, took a leap of faith in 2024 by walking away from a well-established career to chase a dream of playing in the National Football League. The Kansas City Chiefs provided that opportunity via the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, and Rees-Zammit was a popular topic during the spring and summer as an exciting offensive prospect.

For the Chiefs, the move represented a risk-free dice roll. Rees-Zammit didn't occupy an official roster spot, and his God-given skill set was an intriguing offering as a potential prospect. It was easy to picture Rees-Zammit as an enticing special teams weapon or even more if he could adjust to the game.

Louis Rees-Zammit acknowledges the short window he has to make it in the NFL.

While Rees-Zammit had his moments in camp, the Chiefs decided to go in a different direction when active roster cuts were due.

While that could have been the end for Rees-Zammit, who could have easily returned across the pond for the rugby career waiting for him, the Jacksonville Jaguars offered him a chance to continue to learn and grow as a football player. The Jags gave LRZ a spot on their practice squad last year and offered him a futures deal for this season.

In a recent interview with TalkSport, Rees-Zammit admits he has no illusions about the process for such a transformation. He's fully aware of how small the window is for a player in his position.

"International players get probably two to three years to make it in the NFL, so I wanted to do it at a time where I maybe could come back to rugby. I'm 24 now, probably got one to two more years to try and make it, depending on how this year goes."

Rees-Zammit also acknowledged his likelihood of returning to the sport that made him a star in the first place. He also adds that his training in America will likely bode well for his skills in rugby as well.

"I'll be 25, 26 when I go back to rugby. I like to think I can still play at the highest level ... When I was playing rugby, I went to America twice to train, and the things I learned there I knew straight away would help my game. Now, having two years of it, I think if I did have to go back, I'll definitely be able to excel again."

Given how Chiefs Kingdom took to him during his short stint with the team, there's no denying a good percentage of those fans will be rooting for him. It'd make for a heartening story to see him able to stick around the NFL longer than expected, even with another franchise.