Louis Rees-Zammit: Mahomes, route running, settling in at Chiefs

Louis Rees-Zammit raced through his Kansas City Chiefs rookie mini-camp media conference on Monday as quickly as he used to blitz his way through rugby defences during his playing career for Gloucester, Wales, and the British and Irish Lions.

The 23-year-old has been living his American dream since he quit rugby last January to successfully participate in the international player pathway programme, a 10-week apprenticeship that resulted in him signing for Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning SuperBowl champions, in late March.

Rees-Zammit is currently fast-tracking his learning with the club and after last weekend’s mini-rookie camp, he strode to the media podium wearing the No9 shirt.

There were 16 questions over eight minutes, ranging from how to correctly pronounce his name to his first impression of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Here is how the media briefing unfolded:

Media: Can you pronounce your name? I’m curious. 

Louis Rees-Zammit: It’s Louis Rees-Zammit. I’ve heard many different ways of saying it but Louis Rees-Zammit. I’m not too fussed. I guess that’s what it is.

Media: What has it been like for you learning curve-wise? I have been watching rugby, I don’t quite understand the game. You guys don’t have play-plays like we have here. It’s a little more free-flowing.

LRZ: It’s completely different. Obviously, in rugby, it’s very free-flowing. Unless you get a set-piece in rugby, that’s when you call a play. So there are probably 20 to 30 plays a game whereas here you are talking hundreds. It’s been interesting to learn the playbook… I have only been here for a week but yes, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Media: How do you feel it went for you this week?

LRZ: It was a good week, a really good week. It was great to meet all the boys, great to dove deep into the playbook. It has been a good week overall and it helped doing rookie mini-camp getting reps because the way I learn is actually doing the reps, so it was a great three days.

Media: What prompted you to want to do this?

LRZ: My dad was a big NFL fan growing up. He wanted to play the sport and he played American football back in the UK. It wasn’t an option to come out here and play. Growing up as a kid I’ve always watched it. Every Sunday I’ve been staying up late. The time difference is five to six hours so it would be early hours of the morning for me but yeah, my dad is a massive mentor for me and a role model. It was just about when I was going to do it. I achieved everything I wanted to in rugby, so I thought now was the perfect time.

Media: What have the conversations been like with your dad just talking about what this experience has been like this weekend?

LRZ: Great conversations. He’s massively into American football so he has been asking me tricky ones to answer. But yeah, it’s been great talking to my parents. They are back in the UK, the time difference has been hard but I have spoken to them every day and they are really happy for me.

Media: When you are trying to pick a team from afar, how much has the Chiefs’ recent success made you, 'Okay, that is what I’d like to be'?

LRZ: I think it’s more the coaches, they have got unbelievable coaches here. It was where I was going to learn the best, the best group of boys. It was just about having a plan for me. Being able to prove what I can do and being able to translate my rugby skills into football, so it’s been great on that side.

Media: Did you see yourself as a running back? In the lead-up to this, there were some calls that maybe you could play receiver. How do you envision yourself in this league?

LRZ: I’ve been put in the running back group to start with. I think there is going to be a versatile role for me. The coaches are very creative here, we’ll see what they can do but it is all about me learning the playbook and learning the game because without that I can’t do anything else. I’m fully focused on the now. I have got to make the team. How am I going to do that? I’ve got to perform on the field, I’ve got to learn the playbook and then we’ll go from there.

Media: Growing up watching those games in the morning, what NFL players did you admire the most?

LRZ: So DeSean Jackson was pretty much my role model growing up. From the age of 11, 12, I used to watch him on YouTube all the time. He was definitely one, his speed was absolutely outrageous. His change of direction was unbelievable. The deep balls he was catching. He was the main player that I would watch growing up.

Media: Did you see Xavier (Worthy) out there? Did that remind you a little bit; you’re pretty fast yourself?

LRZ: Xavier is quick. Xavier is quick, so there is no surprise how he broke the 40-yard dash record. He is looking great out there.

Media: The biggest challenge in the translation to football?

LRZ: I’d say when I get the ball in my hand it’s pretty similar, it’s getting open field space. It’s about how I do that. So if I’m in the backfield the footwork, I’m used to being able to pick gaps, use my awareness. Route running is obviously completely new to me. Being able to accelerate and decelerate pretty much at the same time is pretty tricky. But yeah, the more reps I do the better I’ll get and it’s going to take time. It’s definitely going to take time but I am willing to put the work in.

Media: The camp in Texas before this (the informal Camp Pat Mahomes), what was that like?

LRZ: It was amazing. All the quarterbacks and receivers were there and we were running routes, we were working in the gym, working our different movements with Bobby (Stroupe, Mahomes’ personal trainer). It was a great two weeks and I definitely learned a lot with Pat and all the other boys.

Media: Was he kind of like a coach down there with you?

LRZ: 100 per cent. I am new to the game, so I am trying to pick everyone’s brains and trying to pick up the sport as quickly as possible because I want to be out there playing. The way I can do that is by picking the brains of everyone who is currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible.

Media: I have talked to some rugby coaches who have said the transition to football might be a bit easier. Do you agree and how has the transition been for you?

LRZ: I mean easier? I don’t know about easier. I think being at the running back position it’s easier because I can get the ball earlier as opposed to being out playing wide receiver. It’s obviously different and catching, you catch laterally. In rugby, you don’t catch forward. That has been a bit different. I’m just loving being able to work and being able to work on all these crafts because the more I can do the more I can try and help this team.

Media: I know playing for Wales takes you all around the world. Have you been in America much and has there been a transition living here now?

LRZ: So my family holiday every year was to Florida so I have been to America a lot. I have trained in Atlanta for the past three years with coach Jeff Smith so I have been doing a few things to try and practice myself for this. So yeah, it’s not too different. I’ve always wanted to live in America so it’s just the perfect time, to try and make it in the NFL and live over here.

Media: Have you ever been to an NFL game over there; have you ever been to an NFL game before?

LRZ: Yes, I have been to two games back home. One was in Wembley, one was in the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, I went to watch the Packers versus the Giants. I have actually never been to an NFL game in America, but I have been to an indoor league game like the arena football. I went there when I was 15 and I remember one of the quarterbacks of the team after the game threw the ball to me and my brother, who is a bit taller than me, went over the top of me and stole the ball which I was devastated about. Yeah, that was kind of my experience over here.

Media: You broke free on a pass yesterday. I was just wondering what that felt like to see what you can do?

LRZ: It was amazing. It’s amazing. When there is open field, you know, I feel like I am playing rugby again. I can use my awareness. When I am in space then that is when I cause the most damage. The more I can do that the more I can help my team.

• Click here to see the video of the Louis Rees-Zammit media conference