Louis Rees-Zammit fails to make Kansas City Chiefs roster – report

The ambitious attempt by Louis Rees-Zammit to be selected by Kansas City Chiefs for the 2024/25 NFL season a year after featuring at the Rugby World Cup for Wales has ended in disappointment as he wasn’t selected on the American football club’s 53-man player roster.

Tuesday was decision day for Rees-Zammit, with Kansas head coach Andy Reid facing a deadline to officially confirm his squad ahead of a campaign that begins for the defending SuperBowl champions with a September 5 home match at home to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ahead of the club’s official announcement, media reports in the States have claimed that Rees-Zammit has been told he hasn’t made the squad. Signed by the Chiefs last March after emerging at the start of the year through the International Player program following his bold decision to quit rugby with Wales and Gloucester, the winger had featured in all three of his AFC West club’s pre-season matches.

Having missed out on the official 53-man squad, Rees-Zammit will now hope to be named later this week in the 17-man practice squad which will train with main team throughout the autumn and winter but none of these players will be available for match selection.

Following last Thursday’s 34-21 home friendly loss to the Chicago Bears, Reid was asked for his verdict on how Rees-Zammit had done throughout their August match preparation period.

“I tried to give him the ball a little bit tonight. He had some real positive yards,” reckoned Reid. “That will be good for him to see and study himself in live action like that. He is a heck of an athlete. It’s just a matter of getting more familiar with it as he goes here. We will see how everything works out for him.”