Louis Rees-Zammit 'agrees deal with Kansas City Chiefs' ...

[Swanjaxs]

I'm fairly certain there used to be an American football team in Swansea a few years ago.

 

[airedale]

He needs to put on his red trainers, click his heels together 3 times and come home.

 

[Captain_Sham]

I'm fairly certain there used to be an American football team in Swansea a few years ago.

Swansea Dragons

 

[Captain_Sham]

The story of when American Football ruled Wales

On Super Bowl weekend here's the story of when the game was huge in Wales

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[Swanjaxs]

The story of when American Football ruled Wales

On Super Bowl weekend here's the story of when the game was huge in Wales

www.walesonline.co.uk

Bloody hell I didn't realise it was that long ago

 

[JackSomething]

Louis Rees-Zammit released by Kansas City – but could still make their practice squad

Louis Rees-Zammit has been released by the Kansas City Chiefs during the team’s roster cutdowns ahead of the new NFL season, with the former Wales wing now waiting to see if he will be signed to the team’s practice squad.

sports.yahoo.com

Article says the Chiefs already have an IPP player. IT could be all over, at least in Kansas.

Do we know if he can be classed as an IPP player by another team if they claim him off the waiver wire, or will he just be one of their 16 practice squad players?

If it's the latter, he may well be left without a team. He can hope someone will sign him later in the season after injuries start to mount, but teams generally want to sign veterans with experience at that point.

I know the 49ers had to cut some players who they will be hoping clear waivers, but they are one of the better teams in the league. So are the Chiefs, so can't imagine he'll beat out 16 other players to be on their practice squad. Perhaps a weaker team will pick him up and hope he progresses quickly.

 

[Captain_Sham]

Do we know if he can be classed as an IPP player by another team if they claim him off the waiver wire, or will he just be one of their 16 practice squad players?

If it's the latter, he may well be left without a team. He can hope someone will sign him later in the season after injuries start to mount, but teams generally want to sign veterans with experience at that point.

I know the 49ers had to cut some players who they will be hoping clear waivers, but they are one of the better teams in the league. So are the Chiefs, so can't imagine he'll beat out 16 other players to be on their practice squad. Perhaps a weaker team will pick him up and hope he progresses quickly.

I dont see that he has anything that will buck the trend of a decade of these situation, yes hes talented and athletic but so are all 10000 college players who have been playing the game since they were 7. IPP Is a ploy by the NFL to foster further foreign interest in the game, like all the overseas games.
Zammit will not make it.

 

[JackSomething]

I dont see that he has anything that will buck the trend of a decade of these situation, yes hes talented and athletic but so are all 10000 college players who have been playing the game since they were 7. IPP Is a ploy by the NFL to foster further foreign interest in the game, like all the overseas games.
Zammit will not make it.

The odds are against him I agree.

 

[JackSomething]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828884093465145523

No mention whether it would be to the 53 man roster or practice squad, although practice squad seems most likely.

Jaguars play twice in London this season, so suspicion would be this is more a publicity stunt than anything else.

 

[Monty]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828884093465145523

No mention whether it would be to the 53 man roster or practice squad, although practice squad seems most likely.

Jaguars play twice in London this season, so suspicion would be this is more a publicity stunt than anything else.

With the owners of the Jaguars being who they are, he'll at least have other options and could be playing football for Fulham or Wrestling in AEW within a year

 

[Captain_Sham]

Louis Rees-Zammit: NFL dream not over, says Christian Wade

Christian Wade says Louis Rees-Zammit's NFL dream is not over after he was not selected in the Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man squad for the 2024 season.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Official Louis Rees-Zammit announcement made as he signs for new team

The former Wales rugby star has a second shot at making it in American Football

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[JackSomething]

He can be called up 3 times from the practice squad. I doubt you'd get good odds if you bet on him being called up for the 2 games in London...

 

[Captain_Sham]

Bold statement here but as a running back he will never see the field. Running backs are also 10 a penny and get injured all too frequently. They are not getting paid as they once were. (See Derrick Henrys latest deal and he is a beast)I would hold more hope for him as WR.
The odds aren't great either way.
"Since its inception, 37 international players have signed with NFL teams (allocated, drafted or signed as a free agent), with 18 IPP athletes currently on NFL rosters. Five players - Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada – have seen active rosters with the Philadelphia Eagles, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders, since the program began in 2017."
That's 1 in 7 IPP athletes that ever play in an actual NFL game(preseason doesn't count) by my rudimentary mathematics.
Here is a synopsis of Christian Wades NFL journey.

In October 2018, Wade left rugby to pursue a career in the NFL, with Wasps releasing him from his contract.[13][14]

On 8 April 2019, Wade was allocated as a running back to the Buffalo Bills as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program.[15][16] Several months later, on 9 August 2019, for his debut with his new team, Wade had a 65-yard touchdown run on his first carry in the pre-season game against the Indianapolis Colts.[17]

On 31 August 2019, Wade was waived by the Bills and signed to the practice squad the next day.[18][19][20] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Bills on 6 January 2020.[21]

On 27 April 2020, Wade was given a roster exemption as an international player for a second season.[22] He was waived on 5 September 2020, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[23][24] He was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list by the team on 28 December 2020,[25] and restored to the practice squad four days later.[26] On 26 January 2021, Wade signed a reserves/futures contract with the Bills.[27]

On 4 May 2021, Wade was given a roster exemption as an international player for a third season.[28] On 1 April 2022, he was released by the Bills.[29]

I genuinely hope he succeeds. There have been several Jocks that have made it as kickers and few Saes players but so far no Welsh. (I checked there was one Welsh born kicker called Allan Watson that played 4 games in 1970 ) It is just not going to be an easy task, especially at Running Back.

Yup