‘Ballsy’ Louis Rees-Zammit warned over ‘humbling’ NFL move by superstar team-mate Travis Kelce
Louis Rees-Zammit and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
Louis Rees-Zammit’s first few months in the NFL will be exceedingly tough, according to his new Kansas City Chiefs team-mate Travis Kelce.
The 23-year-old left rugby in January to try his hand at American football and, following an intensive 10-week training camp at the NFL’s international pathway program, was snapped up by the current Super Bowl champions.
It means that he has joined a side which includes genuine superstars in Patrick Mahomes and Kelce.
Training with Mahomes
Rees-Zammit has already been in contact with both players and was seen training alongside Mahomes in Dallas ahead of the Chiefs’ pre-season camp.
Kelce was full of praise for the Welshman’s work ethic but insists that the opening few months are going to be a “humbling experience” for the former Gloucester star.
However, the 34-year-old has confidence that Rees-Zammit will, in time, get to grips with the sport and become familiar with his role.
“Louis is down there working hard. It’s going to be a humbling experience at first, it’s not easy to just make that jump,” he said on his New Heights podcast.
“They’re two completely different games but he is an athlete and that is what the Chiefs saw. He’s a smart kid, a smart player so he’s going to be able to pick up the offense eventually.
“It’s going to be a tough few months here while he’s getting acclimated to the NFL where we’ve been doing this since we were kids.
“We’ve been playing this game, so we’re going to have those little instincts that we’ve built over the years that he has to start to catch up with.
“The biggest advice I gave him was, ‘try not to let it overwhelm you as much as it can and just know that everybody believes that you have the potential to be able to play. Absorb as much as you can, learn as much as you can.’”
Plan for Louis Rees-Zammit’s NFL transition revealed by Kansas City Chiefs boss
‘Look at this debonair dude’
Kelce has been getting to know Rees-Zammit and is “pumped” about seeing what he can achieve in the NFL.
His brother, Jason Kelce, remarked on the podcast that the ex-Wales wing could become “the most marketable player of all time” after Travis discussed Rees-Zammit’s charm.
“Look at this debonair dude, man. He’s got the big white teeth, the jaw, his favourite movie is Titanic. He loves music from Beyonce and Adele, the guy is just as suave as it gets,” Travis Kelce said.
“I’ve really just enjoyed the guy’s energy so far, he’s super excited about the opportunity that he’s been given, knowing that not everybody gets given these opportunities.
“He was an absolute star in the European league that he was in. For him to make the jump and try to go from Wales to Kansas City, it’s a pretty ballsy move and a pretty cool move to be making.
“I’m pumped too and he said he’s ready for the lateral whenever.”
