Louis Rees-Zammit Misses Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-Man Roster, But NFL Dream Lives On

Former rugby union star Louis Rees-Zammit has not been selected for the Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season. The 23-year-old Welsh winger, who made a dramatic switch from rugby to American football earlier this year, has been training with the Chiefs throughout the offseason and played in all three of their preseason games. Despite his efforts, he did not make the final cut on 'cutdown day.'

NFL teams are required to reduce their offseason training squads of 90 players to a 53-man roster by the deadline, which fell on Tuesday. Rees-Zammit’s journey now turns to waivers, where he will be eligible to be signed by another team until 17:00 BST on Wednesday. If he goes unclaimed, he could continue his training with the Chiefs as part of their practice squad. This would allow him to further adapt to the sport and potentially earn a spot on the active roster later in the season. Each NFL team can promote up to two players from their practice squad per game, offering Rees-Zammit a pathway to game-time opportunities.

Rees-Zammit’s NFL journey began with a 10-week training camp as part of the league’s International Player Pathway (IPP). The Chiefs, who have secured back-to-back Super Bowl titles, signed him with hopes of leveraging his athleticism in various positions. Although initially earmarked as a running back, Rees-Zammit demonstrated versatility by playing in multiple roles during the preseason.

However, his bid to secure a roster spot faced a setback when the Chiefs re-signed experienced receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Monday. Smith-Schuster took the number nine jersey, previously worn by Rees-Zammit during the preseason, further complicating the Welsh rookie's chances.

Despite the current disappointment, Rees-Zammit’s NFL dream is not over. The practice squad offers a valuable opportunity for continued development and the possibility of promotion to the active roster. As he navigates this next phase of his American football career, Rees-Zammit remains focused on adapting to his new sport and seizing any future opportunities that come his way.