The former rugby star turned NFL prospect, Louis Rees-Zammit, now finds himself rostered by a budding Jacksonville Jaguars team.
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Originally, he crossed over to the league via the international player pathway, and was ultimately signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in March of 2024. Even though he was eventually left on the cutting room floor prior to the start of the regular season, his tenure with the league’s current dynasty still proved to be a memorable one.
In the midst of his trial period with Kansas City, the Wales native received a letter of support from none other than Taylor Swift herself.
“I went to her show in Cardiff and I’ve got a letter from her at home. At the time, it was wishing me good luck for the Chiefs. I didn’t end up meeting her, but I’ve got a signed letter which is still a pretty cool thing,“ he told ‘The Overlap Rugby.’
While it may come as a surprise to hear that Swift was even aware of his presence, the fact of the matter is that the pop icon and her tight end boyfriend, Travis Kelce, have made a routine out of bestowing the team’s players with various gifts. Unfortunately, Zammit wasn’t around to receive any of the Christmas presents that the Chiefs were treated to last year.
Prior to the team’s Christmas Day outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City’s premiere defender, Chris Jones, along with his partner, Sheawna Weathersby, received a rather luxurious gift from the power couple. In an Instagram post that was made by Weathersby, it was revealed that Kelce and Swift had gifted the couple an exclusive piece from the Louis Vuitton Louis 200 collection.
Nevertheless, Zammit now believes that a return to rugby is in his future. According to the cross-spot icon, the NFL experience was one that he very much wanted to have for his own, but it was never the end goal.
“That’s why I did it at such a young age, I knew I could come back to rugby. I might have to go play for my local team, but at least I’m at an age where I’ll be 24, 25, 26. If I know I’m not making it within those years, I’ll come back.”
The NFL’s international player pathway has resulted in numerous rugby players making a go at the gridiron. Some of the most notable predecessors of Zammit include the likes of Christian Wade and Christian Scotland-Williamson, as there is a surprisingly rich history of rugby players in the NFL.
A clearly defined timeline should help Zammit to make the most of his time with the Jaguars. Even though he has yet to make his way onto a regular season roster, he showed promise during his final appearance with Kansas City.
He managed to produce 22 rushing yards on six carries and even hauled in one pass for a three yard gain throughout the 2024 preseason. While those are modest totals for your average NFL runner, the fact that Zammit was able to contribute in multiple facets despite facing a steep learning curve is an absolute testament to the caliber of athlete that he has been advertised to be.
Suffice to say, should his dreams of an NFL career fall through, the rugby world will almost certainly welcome him back with open arms.
