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Louis Rees-Zammit gets new NFL offer but future still up in air
By Ian Cameron
Louis Rees-Zammit has reportedly received a fresh offer from the to extend his NFL career despite his Jacksonville Jaguars contract expiring.
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The Welsh winger made headlines by switching from rugby union to the NFL last year, joining the Kansas City Chiefs as part of the International Player Pathway Program.
He failed to secure a spot on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster and later moved to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, transitioning from running back to wide receiver.
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According to the Daily Mail the Jaguars have now offered Rees-Zammit a new deal after his previous contract expired earlier this month.
The 23-year-old is currently a free agent but could return to Jacksonville if he accepts the offer. Alternatively, the former rugby star is believed to be considering a return to rugby union.
Contrary to popular belief, the 6’2, 95kg flyer could potentially earn more in rugby union, at least when compared to this stage of his burgeoning career in American football.
The Welshman turned down a £600,000 a year offer to play rugby in Japan for Mie Honda prior to his switch to the American code, considerably more than he would make as a non-playing practice squad member of an NFL franchise.
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He could still demand a high price should he return to rugby union.
His first year in the NFL has been a steep learning curve. Despite signing with two teams he has yet to make a competitive appearance. A move to wide receiver from running back appears to have suited him but precious little information has emerged from camp since around his development, with the American press having lost interest in the story.
“That first game, my first-ever game of American Football, I didn’t have a very good game,” he told RugbyPass last October after signing for the Jaguars. “When I say it was like going into a different world over there, it genuinely was. Until I show it on the field, I am a nobody at the end of the day compared to these Americans. This is my dream and I’m chasing it, I’ll do what it takes.”
Rees-Zammit is currently on holiday in Thailand and reflected on the past year in a recent social media post. “What a crazy year it’s been! Can’t thank everyone enough for the support I’ve had over the last 12 months. Can’t wait to see what the future holds in 2025.”
He earned 32 caps for Wales between 2020 and 2023, scoring three tries at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, and was a member of the British & Irish Lions squad that toured South Africa in 2021.
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