Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has called time on his American football experiment, announcing on Thursday night that he is leaving the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars to return to the sport where he first made his name.
The 24-year-old winger took to social media to confirm his decision, saying: “It’s been a great experience but it’s time to come home. There’s only one thing that’s on my mind — that’s coming back to rugby and doing what I do best. I can’t explain how excited I am!!”
Rees-Zammit made headlines in March 2024 when he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program — a league initiative aimed at giving elite athletes from around the world a route into American football.
Having impressed scouts with a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at a pro day in Tampa, the former Gloucester and Wales flyer was deployed by the Chiefs as a running back during the 2024 preseason. He featured in all three games, recording six carries for 22 yards.
However, he was waived by the Chiefs in August as part of final roster cuts. The Jacksonville Jaguars promptly picked him up, converting him to a wide receiver and placing him on their practice squad. While he trained with the team throughout the 2024 NFL season, he was never elevated to the game-day roster.
In February 2025, the Jaguars added Rees-Zammit to their 90-man offseason roster. But any hopes of breaking into the NFL this year were hampered when he sustained a lower back injury during the team’s second practice of training camp in July. He remained limited in the sessions that followed.
That setback appears to have accelerated his decision to return to rugby, a sport in which he has already reached significant heights — including 32 caps for Wales and selection for the British & Irish Lions’ 2021 tour of South Africa.
While Rees-Zammit has not yet revealed where he plans to resume his rugby career, he teased that more updates will follow soon.
For now, fans will be eager to see which jersey he pulls on next — but one thing is clear: Louis Rees-Zammit is coming home.
English