Chiefs RB Louis Rees-Zammit eager to put on pads in training camp

SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. — Louis Rees-Zammit may be one of the toughest sons of guns on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs in training camp this season.

As a former rugby player, Rees-Zammit was a wing and full-back for the Welsh national team and Gloucester Rugby in Premiership Rugby, the highest level of rugby in England. He scored nine tries (the equivalent of a touchdown in rugby, worth five points) in 2023 and totaled 31 Test appearances for Wales scoring 14 tries for his homeland.

As an attacker, he took countless hits without any pads as he worked to score for his teams. Now, he’ll be doing the same for the Chiefs in the NFL in his first encounter with American football.

Whether learning a new sport or playing it for years, the hardest component for any rookie is learning an extensive NFL playbook.

“I’m nonstop trying to learn this playbook because as soon as I can start not having to think about playing and just playing fast – that’s the biggest thing for me,” Rees-Zammit said.

“(It’s) so different (than) what I’m used to. Obviously, in rugby, you don’t have to learn as much, but I think physically I’m in good shape. I think rugby really prepared me for this with the conditioning, just being in physical shape. I think the biggest difference is just mental. Just staying on top of things, staying on top of the playbook, and making no mistakes.”

But plenty of mistakes will be made as Rees-Zammit progresses through camp. The improvements from Rees-Zammit can already be seen now as he learns how to play running back. His footwork to receive a handoff, his hand placement to accept the handoff and even his pad level running through gaps during unpadded practices have already improved in just two months with the team.

Running through gaps, running routes, and catching balls is the first part of the job as a running back. The next part is learning how to protect the passer, which is the key to getting on the field as an RB.

Hitting pads to get proper hand technique is part of the way there, but like with offensive linemen, the best way to work on blocking requires wearing shoulder pads and a helmet. Rees-Zammit trained with that equipment for two months in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program before signing with the Chiefs in late March.

“I was just trying to get used to it, to be honest,” he said.

“Obviously, never training with pads and a helmet is quite unusual, but that really prepped me to be able to come in here and kind of get the ball rolling straight away – not having to get used to the pads and the helmet, so I was pretty prepared for that.”

There will be a big difference between being tackled in rugby and being tackled in football. That first hit in pads gives some players the love of the game at an early age and drives other people away from the game at an early age.

LRZ is ready for that change.

“Oh, I’m excited,” Rees-Zammit said with a beaming smile.

“I can’t wait to see the difference. I get that question all the time: ‘What’s harder, a hit in rugby or American football?’ but we’ll soon find out. Yeah, it’s gonna be fun. I played a contact sport since I was 12 years old. We started contact in rugby and that’s bone on bone, but we’ll see what it’s like when it when we come to pads.”

With the NFL’s new kickoff rules, Rees-Zammit’s most impactful role early on could be on special teams. The Chiefs have discussed using him as a kicker on kickoffs with the new rules requiring more physicality from the kicker and his athleticism could aid him in all four phases.

That will also be his best bet to making the 53-man roster. If he doesn’t make the active roster, Rees-Zammit will have to go through the waiver system where the Chiefs could sign him to the practice squad if he clears waivers. If he’s on the practice squad, the Chiefs could use the IPP exemption that keeps other teams from signing him off the squad and frees up a spot for another practice squad player.

“The first goal is to make the team,” Rees-Zammit said.

“I know special teams is gonna be massive for me. Been working really hard on that with Coach [special teams coordinator Dave Toub, assistant special teams coordinator Andy Hill]. And just learning the playbook as I said, learning the running back roles, being able to learn pass protection, and then learning my routes off that. I think, you know, all of it adds up.”

The strong team culture of the Chiefs shows that everyone is helping bring Rees-Zammit up to speed including quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz. It’s a collective effort to push a teammate unknown to the sport with the ability and hopes of following in the footsteps of other IPP alumni like Philadelphia Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata and Washington Commanders defensive end Efe Obada.

He certainly has a golden opportunity to do it with the back-to-back Super Bowl champs.

“This was my dream from a little boy to be able to play in the NFL,” he said.

“[To] join a team like this is incredible. I’m incredibly proud of myself and I’m proud of the journey I’ve been on. I want to play a part in this team and the way I’m going to do that is obviously through training camp, show the capabilities that I can do, and go from there and see what the coaches think in that.”

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