Rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on KC Chiefs’ winning culture & team’s plans for him

After signing with the Chiefs late last month, former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit headed back to Wales to get his affairs in order.

But Rees-Zammit will be back in the United States on Wednesday, and he’s ready to get started with the Chiefs.

Rees-Zammit joined “The Rugby Pod” podcast Tuesday and shared many details on his visit to the Chiefs, how he was welcomed by the team and how he’ll be used this season.

Here are highlights from that podcast with Rees-Zammit, who has the awesome nickname of Rees-Lightning.

A winning culture in KC

After surprising rugby fans in the United Kingdom, Rees-Zammit trained in Florida through the league’s International Player Pathway program (IPP).

Rees-Zammit then visited with the Browns, Jets and Broncos before stopping to see the Chiefs.

“They’ve been absolutely amazing to me,” Rees-Zammit said of the Chiefs. “Met all the coaches, we’ve got a very good plan together. All on the same page and basically see how it goes from now because it’s gonna be a busy few months for me with preseason coming up now in a week’s time. ...

“I was meant to visit a load of more teams, but you know, I’ve always said to myself, I’m gonna sit down with my family and basically go to the team has a good plan for me and we’re all on the same page. And the Kansas City Chiefs were the team for me. So I’m excited to rip right into it and get to work.”

It wasn’t just that the Chiefs said the right things to Rees-Zammit. He knew immediately that he wanted to join the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions when he got to KC.

“When you step into the facility, you just feel like you’re gonna win,” he said. “They have obviously all their Super Bowl trophies like straight ahead of you and just everyone in the building is so confident and they’re so chatty. You just feel like a belief within the facility itself. So when I went in, I was just like, blown away. I was like, ‘Wow, this is the place I want to be at.’ And I really believe in myself. Like, I really believe that I can come in here and make a difference to a team. ...

“The feeling was kind of like, you can just feel like winning-ness within the team and I’ve met a couple players. I haven’t met everyone, but even just the staff around the building, you just know that they have belief in everything they do. And they’re such a professional organization. So that was kind of the feeling I went in there with and, yeah, they absolutely blew me away.”

Welcomed by the Chiefs stars

Rees-Zammit said after signing with the Chiefs, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce reached out to him.

“Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce messaged me,” Rees-Zammit said. “Just saying welcome to KC. If I ever need anything, then let me know. And everyone’s been so welcoming.”

Rees-Zammit said when he was flying out of Kansas City International Airport, he was asked by a security agent if he was an athlete. It was the first time he said out loud that he was with the Chiefs.

“I still haven’t sunk in yet,” Rees-Zammit said. “And I think it’s going to sink in, you know, when I get to meet all the boys. I get to train in the first day. But yeah, it’s been an absolute whirlwind three months. ... I’m just so excited to meet everyone.”

About that Chiefs playbook

Rees-Zammit said it’s been his dream to play in the NFL and admitted he was nervous at the IPP. That, he believes, affected his 40-yard dash time.

“I was running high 4.2s, low 4.3s, but I ran a 4.43 (in the IPP),” Rees-Zammit said. “I know I’m more of like a game-speed kind of guy. I’m not a sprinter. So I’ve never done track and field. I’ve never done athletics. So I’m not used to just running in a straight line. I’m more about game speed, being able to run in a match, being able to weave.

“I think that’s basically what the NFL is going to allow me to do. So I’m never really going to be running just in a straight line. It’s all about what you’re going to be able to do in a game.”

The biggest challenge might be learning the nuances of football. And then there is the Chiefs playbook.

“You’ve got to learn like over a season, probably a thousand plays, and you’re going into a game with 80 plays. I mean in rugby, we’ve got five scrum attacks, five lineup plays,” Rees-Zammit said.

“I’m really enjoying learning the game and I’m really enjoying just, you know, diving deep into into the game itself and into football. I’ve got my iPad with with the playbook on it.“

Joining Mahomes this week

Mahomes has already been throwing to Chiefs pass-catchers, and Rees-Zammit said he’ll be joining the sessions soon. It’s the annual camp Mahomes hosts.

“I’ve kind of been glued to that iPad for the past few weeks since I’ve signed so I want to try and pick up as much as I can before going into camp,” he said. “But yeah, I fly Wednesday and I’m gonna go train with Pat and the receivers.

“And yeah, it’s gonna be an amazing experience, and there’s no one better to learn from the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid. So yeah, I’m very excited and I can’t wait to get going.”

How Chiefs will use him

The NFL’s new kickoff rule will put most players near one end zone, and that will provide Rees-Zammit an opportunity.

“The new kickoff rules this year is absolutely massive,” Rees-Zammit said. “That’s where my main position is going to be. So I’ve got a fight to be in that position this year. And then within the offense, it’s about how quick I can learn the playbook because, you know, we’ve got a plan to put me in various positions. Play (in) the backfield and running back, be a slot receiver, just being able to use me as much as possible and be creative with me.

“It’s all about me learning the playbook and getting the chemistry with all the players on offense to be able to use me. It’s kind of up to me to learn all the plays and being able to integrate myself into a starting role. But I know it’s gonna take a lot and it’s going to take time, it’s going to take a bit of time for me to do that. And all the coaches know that. There’s no pressure, but I’m going to try and learn it as quick as possible to put me in the best position to get on the field.”

Here is the podcast appearance and be aware there is some cursing.