Louis Rees-Zammit is set to sign for the Kansas City Chiefs just over two months after quitting rugby to make it in the NFL.
Former wing Rees-Zammit announced his exit from rugby less than an hour before Wales boss Warren Gatland named his 2024 Six Nations squad.
And he is now expected to join the 2024 Super Bowl champions and the most dominant franchise in American football, as per reports in the US.
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The 23-year-old, who was the youngest player on the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour, is expected to play a hybrid offensive role as both a wide receiver and running back.
He told reporters he was disappointed after registering a 40-yard dash time of 4.43s at the International Player Pathway combine in Florida last week, still a very impressive time on less than three months’ specialist preparation.
Rees-Zammit’s speed and footwork has impressed NFL coaches and scouts, and he has visited a number of NFL franchises this week, including the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets.
He also signed with Jay-Z’s sports agency RocNation on Tuesday to help secure a deal and manage his newfound American fame.
The Chiefs have won three of the past five Super Bowls and reached the final in another.
Rees-Zammit will now hope to line-up alongside Patrick Mahomes, considered the best active quarter-back in the NFL, and Travis Kelce, perhaps the best tight-end of all time and currently the subject of massive attention as Taylor Swift’s partner.
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It is worth saying that this does not mean Rees-Zammit will automatically fit into the Chiefs’ starting offence, as pre-season squads can run to 90 players.
This will then be cut down to a final roster of 53 by the end of August, or Rees-Zammit could join the 17-man practice squad.
This is as far as England win Christian Wade ever got in his attempts to break America, spending three years on the Buffalo Bills practice squad and scoring a pre-season touchdown.
If Rees-Zammit were to make the 53-man final roster in August, it would be an incredibly impressive achievement, effectively learning the sport in 10 weeks since joining the International Player Programme.
And if he were to manage that, he would make at least the minimum rookie salary of around £595,000, over double what he was earning with former club side Gloucester.
If he earns a place on the practice squad, from which he could still be called up to play on any given week, he would earn at least £170,000 in his first season.
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