Louis Rees-Zammit is acutely aware the clock is ticking on his fledgling NFL career.
But it certainly won’t be the end of his days as an athlete.
“International players get probably two to three years to make it in the NFL,” Rees-Zammit explained on talkSPORT’s Hawksbee and Jacobs.
“So I wanted to do it at a time where I maybe could come back to rugby.
“I’m 24 now, probably got one to two more years to try and make it depending on how this year goes.
“I’ll be 25, 26 when I go back to rugby. I like to think I can still play at the highest level.”
Rees-Zammit produced a monumental roll of the dice when he walked away from rugby union to pursue his NFL dream in January 2024.
After all, he was an established Wales international and became the youngest player to be picked for the British and Irish Lions in 62 years.
However, his NFL journey hasn’t quite gone to plan.
He was signed by NFL powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs in March 2024 after he progressed through the league’s International Player Pathway (IPP) programme, but only made three appearances in pre-season before he failed to make the 53-man roster cut.
The Jacksonville Jaguars immediately added him to their practice squad, yet his contract was not renewed at the end of the 2024 season.
Although he returned to the Jaguars, he was shifted from their active roster to their exempt/international player list.
GettyRees-Zammit’s NFL dream may be coming to the end of its shelf life[/caption] But he doesn’t expect to have a hard time converting back to the sport he made his name inGettyBy being placed on that list, teams cannot poach Rees-Zammit from the Jaguars.
However, per NFL rules, the international exemption expires once the regular season commences.
Should Rees-Zammit be cut again, it is likely to herald the end of his NFL dream.
However, he believes the years spent training alongside the sport’s best could mean he returns to rugby as a better overall athlete than when he departed it.
“I’ve learnt so many different movements that I never even thought about in rugby,” Rees-Zammit said.
“The way you train is so much different, but I think that would help me massively.
talkSPORTRees-Zammit was in the talkSPORT studio to discuss his sporting future[/caption]“When I was playing rugby, I went to America twice to train and the things I learned there I knew straight away would help my game.
“Now, having two years of it, I think if I did have to go back I’ll definitely be able to excel again.”
Rees-Zammit will hope to prove himself one last time during the Jaguars’ pre-season schedule, which begins on August 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fixtures against the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins follow on August 17 and August 23 respectively before Jacksonville makes its final call on the 53-man roster on August 26.
Louis Rees-Zammit is in the UK with the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the ‘Jaguars on the Prowl presented by Experience Kissimmee’ trip to London. The Jags are showcasing Flag Football (JagTag) with on-field competitions, and a Family Day for fans.
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