L
ouis Rees-Zammit’s short career in the NFL is over. A year and a half after joining the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent as part of the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), Rees-Zammit announced on August 1 that he was retiring from the NFL and returning to a familiar place– the rugby pitch. A former star for Gloucester Rugby, the Welsh native will go back to playing the sport that he got his start in.
Waived by the Jaguars on Friday, Rees-Zammit’s announcement does not come as a surprise, considering that he has been teasing a return to rugby since June. But never playing in a regular season NFL game and considered a long shot to make an appearance this season, Rees-Zammit opted to hang it up and pursue something he felt was more obtainable.
Rees-Zammit’s Announcement
Taking to Instagram, Rees-Zammit posted a photo of himself in his Wales National Team uniform and made the announcement official. Grateful for his time and experience in the NFL, Rees-Zammit is now looking ahead to the future and is ready to return to rugby full force.
“I’ve got an exciting announcement to make! I’ve decided to leave the NFL and return to rugby,” Rees-Zammit posted. “It’s been a great experience but it’s time to come home. I’ve decided that this is the best time to make this decision to give myself time to get everything in place for next season. There’s only one thing that’s on my mind, that’s coming back to rugby and doing what I do best. I can’t explain how excited I am!! There’ll be more news to come soon but for now, see you soon rugby fans.”
It is unknown which team Rees-Zammit will join when he returns to the pitch, but it is highly likely that he will rejoin Gloucester and use the skills that he picked up in the NFL and use them to his advantage when he plays in his first match back.
Rees-Zammit’s Rugby Career
Only 24-years-old, Rees-Zammit has not had a super long rugby career, but has already accomplished a lot. At the international level, Rees-Zammit played a key role in guiding Wales to a Six Nations championship in 2021 and has also represented the British & Irish Lions— a test side that is made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Known for his speed and athleticism, Rees-Zammit is commonly deployed as a winger or a full-back.
Feeling that he had accomplished everything in rugby, Rees-Zammit signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in March of 2024 and was with the team through the preseason. But, only managing one catch for three yards in three preseason games, Rees-Zammit was cut by the Chiefs before signing with the Jaguars right before the regular season, where he spent the whole campaign as a roster exemption.
Even without playing in a single regular season game, Rees-Zammit was considered one of the NFL’s fastest players– capable of reaching a top spring speed of 24.2 miles per hour, ranking him as one of the fastest non-league players of all time.
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