Louis Rees-Zammit reveals biggest issue with the NFL after returning to rugby
Louis Rees-Zammit claimed he didn't get the same opportunites as his team-mates after deciding to end his NFL dream. The Welsh international has made a return to rugby after fearing his talent was being squandered on the practice pitches of the ruthless world of American football.
Rees-Zammit had an 18-month stint trying to make it in America with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars before conceding defeat and returning home to union.
The 24-year-old, who boasts 32 Wales caps, signed up with Bristol earlier this month after failing to transition from union wing to running back or wide receiver. He is now on a one-year contract with the Bears, having failed to play a full professional game in the States and spent most of his time on the training ground but harbours no regrets about giving it a shot.
He confessed: "I just felt I was wasting my talent out there to be honest. It's very difficult to get into the NFL if you haven't come through the college system.
"You just don't get the same opportunities as those boys. I wasn't getting many reps and I was fed up when I was practicing there.
"But the experience was unbelievable. Living in a new country, completely different culture, being involved in a locker room which was completely different to rugby. All those experiences are only going to help me, coming back.", reports the Express.
"My leadership skills have gotten a lot better, just being next to those global figures like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. They are absolutely huge figures and everything they do day to day I learnt from."
Rees-Zammit was aware of the uphill battle he faced to make it through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, having spoken to Christian Wade, who attempted the same feat but was let go by the Buffalo Bills in 2022.
He said: "I just knew how ruthless it was out there. It was absolutely brutal. I was seeing new players every day, players cut every day and it was pretty tough.
"I knew that going out there, I spoke to Christian a lot and he told me his experiences but when I went out there I saw it at first hand. That was the reason for me never ruling rugby out because I could have got cut within the first day of being there.
"I gave it my best shot and maybe I didn't get the opportunities players coming out of college did. It makes sense really from a coach's point of view, because those boys have been playing that sport for so long. I am very real about, it probably wasn't for me in the end but there are no regrets."
Rees-Zammit has already had a chat with Wales coach Steve Tandy and is drawing interest from the rebel R360 league set to kick off next year. "Wales is my country and I absolutely love playing for them," he said.
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