Welsh Rugby Star Louis Rees-Zammit Returns After 18-Month NFL Stint

Louis Rees-Zammit has ended his 18-month NFL pursuit, citing frustration over limited playing opportunities and feeling that his talent was being wasted in American football. Despite stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars practice squads, the 24-year-old Welsh winger never played a senior NFL game and struggled with the challenge of breaking into the league without a college football background. He has now signed a one-year deal with the Bristol Bears to reignite his rugby career, appreciating the sport's greater involvement and fit with his attacking skills. Rees-Zammit valued the experience and leadership lessons gained in the NFL, training alongside stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but ultimately decided to return to rugby where he feels he can best express himself. Open to staying longer at Bristol and intrigued by rugby’s proposed global expansion with the rebel league R360, Rees-Zammit remains focused on making an impact in the Premiership and earning a Welsh national team recall. His decision reflects a gradual realization during his second NFL pre-season that rugby was the right path forward, despite the tough and competitive nature of professional American football.