(Washington) Young Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Rees-Lightning has arrived,” Chiefs wrote on X in a welcome message, along with a lightning bolt emoji and a photo of the 23-year-old Welshman playing for his home country.
“Hello Chiefs Kingdom. This is Louis Rees-Zammit. I just signed. I can’t wait to see you all at Arrowhead,” the Kansas City stadium, the player said in a video posted on the same social network.
According to the NFL Network, Rees-Zammit, who played for English Premiership club Gloucester from 2018 to this year, signed a three-year, partially guaranteed contract with a signing bonus.
The former international winger surprised the oval ball world by announcing in January that he was going to leave rugby union to try to make a career in the NFL.
The player with 42 caps with Wales, quarter-finalist of the 2023 World Cup and winner of the 2021 Six Nations Tournament, participated in the international program for the integration of foreign players into the NFL, under the eyes of many league recruiters.
A training session for recruiters took place last week. According to the Chiefs, it included a timed 40-yard dash that he completed in 4.44 seconds.
With his signing, Rees-Zammit becomes the 37e player from the Global Talent Program to sign a contract with the NFL and now hopes to become only the sixth to earn a starting roster spot.
The Welshman had trials with the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos, before agreeing with the Chiefs, according to the American press.