Ex-rugby star Rees-Zammit to hold visits with Broncos, Chiefs،
Former Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit will travel to visit the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs this week, the NFL confirmed on Monday, after visiting the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets.
Rees-Zammit stunned rugby fans when he announced in January that he was leaving the sport to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. On Friday, Rees-Zammit posted a 4.43 in his 40-yard dash at the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) pro day. He also had a broad jump of 9 feet, 7 inches and a vertical jump of 29 inches.
This season marks the first time each team will have a 17th practice squad spot specifically available to an international player. Teams are also allowed to elevate a player from the international practice squad to the active roster a maximum of three times during the season, increasing opportunities for players to develop and have a chance to play .
Teams also receive a training camp roster exemption for a qualified international player.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind,” Rees-Zammit said at Friday’s pro day.
“My dad has been a huge role model for me because he raised me loving this sport. He played this sport when he was younger, so it's pretty easy to love this sport because I watch it since I was very young. So it's always been in the back of my mind, but it's just amazing to finally be able to do it now.”
Rees-Zammit, whose favorite NFL player growing up was three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, is one of 15 athletes from eight countries participating in the NFL's IPP program. It was created in 2017 to provide elite athletes from around the world the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster and increase the number of international players in the league.
Since the NFL started this program, 37 international players have signed with teams and 18 are on rosters. Five players – Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada – are on the active roster.
Mailata, a former Australian rugby player, is the star of the program. Selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, the 6-foot-8, 365-pound Mailata became the team's starting left tackle in 2020 and developed into one of the best players at his position.
Associated Press reporting contributed to this report.
