This week, Louis Rees-Zammit signed with the Kansas City Chiefs for a period of three years, making his dream of moving from rugby union to the NFL come true. Having just arrived among the champions of the last two Super Bowls, the final between the champions of the two NFL conferences (main American football championship), this announcement is already making waves in rugby countries.
From rugby to US football, the crazy bet of @LouisReesZammit ????????????????????????????????
The Welsh XV star decided to change sports at the age of 23 to live his dream in the NFL
The former winger signed his first contract with the @Chiefswhere he will play the position of Running Back / Wide Receiver! pic.twitter.com/VRI3izrmRw
— NFL France (@NFLFrance) March 30, 2024
The team, the best in the United States in recent years, who have secured the services of the former Gloucester winger, should give him a chance to express himself on the pitch before the fall. But then, has the Welshman caught the jackpot or is he stuck in an uncertain future?
TRANSFER. The attraction Louis Rees-Zammit should sign with the equivalent of Stade Toulousain in the NFL
From rugby to the NFL, there is only one step
First of all, we must explain the positions for which Louis Rees-Zammit is currently seeking:
- Running Back : offensive position where the player generally recovers the ball directly from the hands of the quarterback (the team’s thrower/passer) and attempts to go the furthest/elimate the most players thanks to his speed and his support.
- Wide Receiver : offensive position where the player projects towards the depth of the field and tries to catch the ball, via a pass from the quarterback. This pass can be made several tens of meters away.
So, you will have understood, the Welshman was above all recruited for his offensive qualities. In addition, he particularly impressed with his speed, managing to complete the traditional 40 yard test (~36 meters) in the space of 4.44 seconds. This performance allows him to be among the very best of the 2024 vintage of new players arriving in the NFL. However, Louis Rees-Zammit showed more difficulty during the jumping exercises, in order to show his relaxation.
RUGBY. VIDEO. The Louis Rees-Zammit rocket in the NFL? Things are getting hot !
With the speed and elimination qualities of the former winger, the latter could wreak havoc on NFL defenses. However, the two sports remain very different and to discuss the sporting aspect, Rugbynistère contacted Alain Mattei, editor-in-chief of Touchdown Actu. Although he admits to not being a rugby specialist, he tells us that “the difficulty will be to apply his qualities to American football. He will have to learn to play and will compete with athletes who have been doing it since childhood”.
Furthermore, in the two positions mentioned above, the specialist tells us that Louis Rees-Zammit has his chances:
The Chiefs are taking him in a Running Back/Wide Receiver role. This is often what is done with players who we don’t really know what to do and I think they don’t really know what they have in their hands. We cannot be certain that he will play, or even know if he will be in the squad next season. Where he has a chance is that the franchise has needs at the position they put him at. There are opportunities and it could hardly have been a better time. If there was ever a good time to arrive, this was it. The Chiefs have been looking for high caliber players in these positions for a while, without necessarily succeeding in getting their hands on them. On top of that, he comes to a team that has a very creative offensive coach, who could have fun with his profile, and he is with the best quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes.
Shock Revelation: Louis Rees-Zammit Abandons Rugby for an American Dream in the NFL
So, all is not lost for the Welshman, who has a serious card to play with this US football cador. In addition, a new rule for scorers (kickers) could favor the arrival of Louis Rees-Zammit, who could be tried in this position. But this idea is, for the moment, only a hypothesis.
In addition, it was asked whether the arrival of Louis Rees-Zammit at the Chiefs could above all be a communication stunt for the franchise, before being a sporting project, in order to attract a new European audience. He answers this:
A move like that never hurts, but I don’t think the Chiefs are chasing it. They are coming off two championship titles, not sure that interests them. Without being in the offices in New York, it is, ultimately, something that would have rather interested the NFL, but now, hard to believe that this is the case given the speed with which it found a buyer.”
VIDEO. ⚡️At 3 km/h from Usain Bolt, Rees-Zammit proves that he will be the fastest player in the World Cup ⚡
From now on, to know if LRZ will swallow the yards in the NFL, we will have to wait this summer. During the summer period, clubs participate in pre-season matches where they test all the players. Then, they only keep the 53 best players observed in order to constitute their official squad for the announced season, the others will serve as training partners. Objective for Louis Rees-Zammit: work as much as possible in the spring to hope to join this list of 53.
VIDEO. 6 NATIONS. Who could have caught the Welsh rocket Louis Rees-Zammit on this interception?
2024-03-31 16:22:07
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