**Louis Rees-Zammit Sets Timeframe on NFL Career, Eyes Possible Return to Rugby**
Louis Rees-Zammit, the prodigious Welsh rugby talent who shocked the sporting world by attempting to swap the oval ball for the gridiron, has spoken candidly about the ticking clock on his NFL ambitions. The 24-year-old finds himself at a pivotal crossroads this summer, acknowledging that his time to secure a lasting place in American football’s elite is running out. Should things not fall into place over the coming year, Rees-Zammit says he has a clear plan to make his return to top-level rugby.
Rees-Zammit’s journey in America has been anything but straightforward. Having left behind a promising rugby union career—where he starred for both Wales and Gloucester—he joined the NFL’s International Player Pathway programme, determined to carve a niche among the world’s best. Last year, he trained with the Kansas City Chiefs but did not make the final squad. Now, he is with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where a summer of make-or-break auditions before the coaching staff awaits him.
“It’s really a case of now or never,” Rees-Zammit revealed in a recent interview with talkSport. “International players generally have two or three years to prove themselves in the NFL. I was 22 when I decided to take the leap—I wanted to make sure it was while a return to rugby would still be possible if the NFL didn’t work out.”
Currently 24, Rees-Zammit is realistic about the window that remains open to him. As he eyes another shot at making the Jaguars’ 53-man roster for the new season, he understands that the decision-makers in Jacksonville are likely to cast their verdict by late August. If he makes the team, it could deliver the breakthrough he’s been striving for, but a drop to the practice squad or, worse, being cut, could significantly hinder his NFL prospects.
There are three main routes forward for Rees-Zammit this summer: earning a coveted spot on the main Jaguars roster, staying on as a developmental player within the practice squad, or finding himself released. While there is always the outside chance of another team expressing interest if he’s cut, the reality is this may trigger his much-anticipated return to rugby, a sport where he was once considered one of the most exciting young players in Europe.
Reflecting on his time in the States, Rees-Zammit believes that the physical and mental tools he has developed could enhance his rugby performance if he returns. “I’ve picked up so many new skills and different ways of moving that simply don’t exist in rugby,” he commented. “The training styles are worlds apart, but those differences could only benefit me. My stints training in America—before I actually made the switch—already made me sharper on a rugby pitch. Now, after two years immersed in this, I feel I’d come back a more complete player.”
For now, though, his focus is pinning down a place with Jacksonville, whose pre-season schedule sees them line up against the Pittsburgh Steelers on 9 August. Further fixtures against the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins—both crucial in determining the depth chart—will follow, leading up to the final squad announcements on 26 August.
As he promotes the Jaguars’ upcoming games in London, Rees-Zammit finds himself both ambassador and athlete, balancing the pressures of personal ambition with the expectations of fans back home. For the first time, he has openly addressed the real prospect of continuing his athletic future on familiar rugby territory, should his NFL voyage reach a premature conclusion.
His candidness marks a departure from the guarded optimism of previous interviews, highlighting the challenges faced by British athletes seeking to break through in one of America’s most competitive leagues. Whatever the outcome, Rees-Zammit’s remarkable athletic journey stands as testament to the spirit of risk-taking and adaptability that shapes the careers of modern sportspeople.
As the summer unfolds, all eyes will be on the young Welshman to see if he can overcome the odds in the NFL, or instead, reignite his rugby legacy with fresh skills and an enriched perspective gleaned from his American adventure.