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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Oliver Connolly

Louis Rees-Zammit’s rugby-to-NFL dream edges closer but huge obstacles remain

Louis Rees-Zammit has worked out for NFL teams in recent weeks
Louis Rees-Zammit has worked out for NFL teams in recent weeks. Photograph: Zuma Press Inc/Alamy

If ever there was a time, if ever there was a place, for Louis Rees-Zammit to chase his NFL dream, this is it. The former Welsh rugby union star is reportedly nearing a deal to join the Kansas City Chiefs, the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

Rees-Zammit is likely to join the team for their annual training camp, a kind of extended trial as he learns the rigors of the NFL. He will join a 90-man training camp roster that will eventually be whittled down to 53, with 16 further places up for grabs on the practice squad, in effect a reserve team. This season also marks the first time that teams will have an extra spot available on the practice squad carved out for players who have come through the league’s International Player Pathway program. Since the IPP was introduced, 37 international players have signed with teams and 18 remain on rosters.

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