Louis Rees-Zammit’s dream of playing in the NFL has moved one step closer with the former Wales wing set to sign for the Kansas City Chiefs later this week, according to reports in the United States.
Rees-Zammit will link up the back-to-back Super Bowl champions and train this summer alongside Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as he tries to make it onto the team’s final 53-man roster ahead of the new season, with the Chiefs planning to use Rees-Zammit as ‘offensive weapon’ at running back and wide receiver.
Rees-Zammit, 23, has visited multiple NFL teams since participating in the NFL’s International Player Pathway combine last week in Florida, during which he competed in a number of drills in front of scouts to show off his athleticism, running a 40-yard dash time of 4.46 seconds which he later admitted to reporters he was disappointed with.
Since the combine, Rees-Zammit has visited a number of NFL franchises including the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos.
By signing to play for the Kansas City he now joins the most dominant franchise currently in the NFL, with the Chiefs winning three of the last five Super Bowls under Reid with Mahomes at quarterback, including Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas last month against the San Francisco 49ers.
Reid’s inventive offenses despite limited options at wide receiver have been key to the Chiefs’ success, with reports in the US suggesting that the head coach plans to use Rees-Zammit in a number of different positions and roles.
Rees-Zammit told Telegraph Sport last month that the players he hoped to emulate in the NFL were Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, who both play as running back/wide receiver hybrids for the 49ers. Rees-Zammit also highlighted DeSean Jackson as a player he enjoyed watching while growing up, a speedy receiver best known for a sensational punt return playing for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New York Giants dubbed the ‘Miracle of the Meadowlands’.
Kick-returner is another likely position the Chiefs will try to use Rees-Zammit in, with the NFL also announcing revised kickoff rules this week which could suit Rees-Zammit’s pace and footwork.