Louis Rees-Zammit: From breakout teenage sensation to joining the Super Bowl champions
Louis Rees-Zammit's journey from teenage rugby star to a NFL hopeful.
Louis Rees-Zammit has already had an incredible rugby career despite being 23 years old and embarks on a new challenge as he chases his NFL dream.
As the prospect of the Welshman signing his inaugural NFL contract looms, we reflect on the pivotal moments that have shaped his professional sports journey thus far, a journey brimming with incredible moments.
Rapid rise
Rees-Zammit started his rise to the top in the Cardiff youth ranks but made the move to England when he joined Hartpury College and the Gloucester Academy.
He quickly caught the eye in the U18s Academy League, and before long, he was training with the senior squad.
On April 13, 2019, a fresh-faced 18-year-old was listed on Gloucester’s bench for the Premiership clash against their rivals, Bath. In the final five minutes of the 27-23 victory, he made his debut, etching his name in history as the youngest Gloucester player to do so at the age of 18 years and 70 days.
That September, he earned his first start in the Premiership Rugby Cup clash against London Irish, scoring a try in the latter stages of the match, and the following month was when things really kicked off for the teenager.
While he showed flashes of brilliance through 2019, the game that really launched his career was the Premiership fixture against Worcester Warriors, a match where he scored two tries and assisted another and backed that up with a stunning hat-trick against Northampton Saints just eight days later.
His stunning showing against Northampton made him the youngest player ever to score a Premiership hat-trick and put him squarely in the conversation for international honours.
International calls
Born in Penarth, Wales, there were hopes that the teenager sensation would delay a Test debut and wait until he was eligible to represent England.
However, that was not the route the proud Welshman was willing to take despite the efforts of his girlfriend at the time, whose father is ex-England and Manchester United star Paul Scholes.
After lighting up the Premiership with Gloucester, he was already on the radar of the Wales Test team and despite his youth, he was called up to Wayne Pivac’s squad to prepare for the 2020 Six Nations.
The then-head coach famously quipped that “if you are good enough, you are old enough”, and in Rees-Zammit’s case, that certainly rang true.
He would have to wait until October 2020 to make his debut at the age of 19 in the rescheduled Six Nations match against France, coming off the bench for the side.
That November, he would score his first Test try for Wales, dotting down in the 18-0 win over Georgia, and from that moment, looked to be a regular starter for his country going forward.
Delivering on his promise in 2021
After showing signs of brilliance in his first two years as a professional, Rees-Zammit’s rapid rise thundered through the atmosphere in 2021.
He quickly cemented himself as a first-choice option in the Wales team as he started all five of their Six Nations matches, scoring four tries as Pivac’s charges went on to claim the title.
His four tries saw him finish just one behind Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe as the tournament’s top try scorer, but the 20-year-old had delivered sensational performances in a crucial year for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales players – a British and Irish Lions touring year.
He crucially scored in the 21-16 victory over Ireland in the opening game, a try that edged Wales in front in the closely fought encounter. He backed that up with a man-of-the-match performance against Scotland, scoring twice in the fixture, including a sensational try to seal the result with a classic chip and chase – something that has since become somewhat of a trademark for the speedster. He would score and assist another in the hammering of Italy.
Earning a British and Irish Lions call-up
His brilliance in the Six Nations naturally led to him being tipped to crack Warren Gatland’s squad for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa – the highest honour for any England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales players.
He clearly had done enough to impress Gatland to earn his place in the squad and became the youngest Lion selected since the 1959 Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand at the age of 20 years and 93 days.
Whilst he was unable to crack the Test team against the defending world champion Springboks, he did play in four touring matches scoring three tries – grabbing his first just five minutes into his Lions debut.
🔥 || Esta jugada de @lionsofficial para el ensayo de Louis Rees-Zammit. 3 minutos tardó en estrenarse el día de su debut el joven jugador galés. pic.twitter.com/6m47Wew9A0
— VB Sports (@VBSports_) July 5, 2021
First World Cup
His sensational rise to the top of international rugby showed no signs of slowing down after playing for the Lions as he continuously delivered on his talents for club and country.
Having consistently started for the Cherry and Whites and Wales throughout the years, when the 2023 World Cup came around, he was an easy choice for returning Wales boss Gatland when he named his squad for the global tournament in France.
Little would we know, but this would be his final international tournament before making his career-altering decision.
Again, he rose to the occasion in his first World Cup, scoring five tries in five matches as Wales over-performed on their expectations, reaching the quarter-finals of the competition, where they were knocked out by Argentina.
He earned 32 Test caps for Wales, scoring 14 tries.
Louis Rees-Zammit 🤝 Siuu#RWC2023 | #WALvPOR pic.twitter.com/bL3y5fil8g
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 16, 2023
Shock decision
On January 16, Gatland was preparing to name his squad for the upcoming 2024 Six Nations when he was delivered the news that he would not be able to select Rees-Zammit.
Gatland wished his star man well in his pursuit after the speedster made the quick-fire decision to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway.
“He is probably a bit of a freak as an athlete. He is a freak physically, and he gets a chance to challenge himself,” the Wales coach said.
The decision was made public that Tuesday and Rees-Zammit flew out to Florida that Friday for the 10-week intensive training camp.
“I think now is the perfect time, with my age and picking up a new sport,” Rees-Zammit said of his decision. “It’s nothing about rugby; it’s an ambition to make my dream come true and play in the National Football League.
“As a little boy, my dad always brought me up to be a big NFL fan. He used to play American football. It’s about continuing his legacy and go beyond, making him proud. It’s the sport he grew up loving. I want to do that and make him as proud as I can.”
Making his mark
After the intensive training camp, he participated in the rigorous testing as part of the NFL’s IPP Pro Day trials.
While he confessed that he was not pleased with his performance on the day – completing a 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds after previously completing that distance in 4.3 seconds in training – he certainly caught the scouts’ eye.
In the days that followed, he visited the facilities of the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, and the Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
His pace is bound to be a massive asset if he does realise his NFL dream and is primed to feature as a wide receiver, a running back and a kick returner in the special teams.
Signing for the Chiefs
On March 29 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs confirmed that Rees-Zammit had been added to their roster.
The 23-year-old reportedly attracted interest from over 12 franchises and signed a three-year deal with the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
The news came after the ex-rugby star joined Jay-Z’s sports agency, Roc Nation, the same agency as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Rees-Zammit is set to bolster Patrick Mahomes’ attacking threats as he competes with the off-season squad to earn a place in the final 53-man roster for the 2024 season.
Louis Rees-Zammit’s salary and contract
A three-year deal is a fairly standard entry-level NFL contract despite it seemingly looking like a significant commitment from the Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit has reportedly signed a three-year deal with the side that will earn him around $900,000 (£712,000) a year, a figure multiple NFL insiders, broadcasters, and journalists have settled on.
Further details of his contract are set to be revealed in due time.
