Louis Rees-Zammit has confirmed the position he will be targeting for the Kansas City Chiefs after signing an NFL contract following his switch from rugby union

Louis Rees-Zammit has set his sights on becoming a kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs after inking an NFL deal.

The former rugby international’s switch to American football is picking up speed, with the Welsh speedster confirming his ambitions to secure a starting spot. The 23 year old’s bold move to chase an NFL dream is paying off, having turned heads during the International Player Pathway Program. His performance at the ‘Pro Day’ at the University of South Florida last month didn’t go unnoticed.

Rees-Zammit, known for his rapid pace as a wing for Gloucester in rugby, has now penned a deal with the Chiefs. He’s aiming to join the ranks of the current Super Bowl champions’ 53-man roster for the 2024 season, alongside stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

While it’s not common for athletes to switch from rugby to NFL, there’s curiosity about which position Rees-Zammit will ultimately play. Initially pondering a wide receiver role on the Rugby Pod, he has clarified: “So the plan we’ve got is obviously the new kick off rules this year is absolutely massive.”

“That’s where my main position is going to be, so I’ve got to fight to be a starter in that position this year. And then within the offense, it’s about how quick I can learn the play because we’ve got a plan to put me in various positions, play out the backfield at running back, be a slot receiver and just being able to use me as much as possible and be creative with me.

“So it’s all about me learning the playbook and getting the chemistry with all the players on offense to be able to use me, so it’s kind of up to me to learn all the plays and being able to integrate myself into a starting role,” the Welshman continued. “But I know it’s going to take a bit of time for me to do that and all the coaches know that.”

As for the adjustment to life as a footballer, it appears that it is still going to take some time for Rees-Zammit to truly get used to his new guise. Explaining his excitement at signing as a Chiefs player, he confessed: “When I left the facility and I was coming home on the plane, I was in the airport in Kansas, and as I was going through security some guy was looking at me weird.”

“I was looking at him, and he was like – ‘Are you a sports person? ‘ – and I was like – ‘Um… yeah’ – and he was like – ‘Who do you play for? ‘” And honestly, when I said that [I played for the Chiefs] I felt so weird saying that I play for the Kansas City Chiefs! When I said it I was thinking, that feels weird!.

“I still hasn’t sunk in yet, I think it’s going to sink in when I get to meet all the boys when I get to training on the first day. But yeah, it’s been an absolute whirlwind of three months and I’m just so excited to meet everyone and start training.”

Highlighting the contrast between rugby and football, he further expressed: “I think the main difference is – I’ve never done anything as hard as I’ve done in Turkey and Switzerland! I don’t know what pre-season is like for the NFL, but that is probably going to be one of the hardest things I do – at a Rugby World Cup camp.”

“The difference is that the training in NFL is more explosive, you’re not doing long endurance testing and training. It’s all about explosive power, speed, short, sharp kind of stuff, so it’s perfect for me!”