Louis Rees-Zammit on the rugby player ‘unbelievable’ Patrick Mahomes reminds him of
Kansas City Chiefs running back Louis Rees-Zammit waits to participate in a drill during the NFL football team’s rookie minicamp Monday, May 6, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Louis Rees-Zammit has seen similarities between Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes and a former team-mate as he continues to build new relationships.
Rees-Zammit, who made the stunning decision to quit rugby before the Six Nations in order to chase his NFL dream, has been edging ever closer to making it a reality.
After impressing on the NFL’s international pathway program, the 23-year-old put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the Chiefs and has since been training with them.
Make quick decisions
That means linking up with Mahomes and Travis Kelce at practice and Rees-Zammit has seen similar qualities between his quarterback and a former Wales team-mate Dan Biggar.
“Obviously, you are looking at a quarterback and fly-half is probably the most similar position in rugby,” revealed the former Gloucester and Wales international. “Patrick is unbelievable at reading the game. Playing with Dan Biggar, (he) was probably my favourite 10. He is one of the best 10s to ever play the game.
“You can really see how they read the game so quick and be able to make decisions very quickly as well.
“I think the comparison in that, with Patrick Mahomes, he can read the game, he can read his cues, he can scan the defence quick and then make plays as well. Dan’s done that since he made his debut for Wales when I think he was maybe 18 or 19.
“I’d say he’s my favourite 10 to ever play. That’s the comparison, how quick they can read the game and make decisions off that.”
Major League Rugby: Five things we learnt as Matt Giteau FINALLY debuts and USA Eagles squad takes shape
Rees-Zammit explained that it is not just Mahomes and Kelce who are the main voices at the Chiefs, with the ex-wing saying that all of the team will regularly “speak up”.
“Every player will speak up and have an opinion and it just goes to show why they’ve been so great over the past few years,” he continued.
“Obviously you have Pat and Travis who mainly lead it, but everyone within the team stands up and has an opinion and that is unbelievable… you want to have those leaders that are going to push you on when times when times are tough.”
Rees-Zammit admitted earlier in the week that a lot of his time off the field is spent learning the Chiefs playbook as he looks to impress and bed in as quickly as possible.
He admitted that it has been a shock to the system due to the sheer volume of plays before adding that his own accent has been causing a few laughs in the Chiefs camp.
“Every team has their own playbook and certain language they use. So it’s kind of like learning a new language completely,” he said.
“We’ve literally been in our rooms calling the plays, standing next to each other.
Louis Rees-Zammit: From breakout teenage sensation to joining the Super Bowl champions
A thousand plays
“You probably learn up to a thousand plays throughout the season in the NFL… whereas in rugby, you probably learn you probably learn 60.”
He added: “They all love the UK accent and the different words we use – the boys have been laughing about it in the locker room.
“I don’t think they say ‘mate’ out here. So everyone loves that word… I don’t notice it because I just speak normally and then they’re like: ‘what does that word mean?’”