Louis Rees-Zammit has bagged a huge pay rise worth almost half a million pounds after his decision to leave rugby was vindicated with a long-term contract to join the Kansas City Chiefs.
The back-to-back Super Bowl champions have signed the former Wales and British & Irish Lions winger to a three-year deal, proving his decision to switch sports was worth it.
Rees-Zammit used to play for Gloucester Rugby and even represented Wales, but he decided to quit earlier this year and take on an intense 10-week football course through the NFL's International Pathway Program (IPP). His contract with Gloucester saw him earn £225,000 every year, but he has now almost trebled that by signing a deal worth $900,000 (£712,000).
After an NFL Pro Day that caught the attention with a speedy 40-yard dash time of 4.44 seconds, Rees-Zammit reportedly had three offers before visiting four teams. He spent time at the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, as well as the Chiefs' facilities.
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Rees-Zammit could barely contain his delight as he prepares for the next step that will see him join the Chiefs summer camp and try to earn a spot on the active roster for the 2024 NFL season. It's thought that his current contract will earn him $900,000 every year, giving him an annual salary increase of $616,000 compared to his rugby deal.
It's a fantastic deal for Rees-Zammit, who hadn't even played American football before 2024. It is thought that his contract is a mix of guaranteed money and a signing bonus, but the length of his deal gives him security at a crucial time in his career.
The three-year deal proves he was right to join the IPP and say goodbye to rugby, and it might lead to more rugby players from other countries joining too. The tall and strong athlete is going to train to be a wide receiver and running back.
Rees-Zammit wants to be like NFL stars Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Austin Ekeler who can do two jobs on the field.
Louis Rees-Zammit has agreed to a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs (Kansas City Cheifs)Rees-Zammit is also ready to play any position the Chiefs coaches want him to after they gave him a chance to join the best team in football. The Chiefs have won the Super Bowl twice in a row and think Rees-Zammit's quickness and strength will help them win again.
The Chiefs were really excited about him joining and put pictures on social media of Rees-Zammit signing his contract with the words: "From the United Kingdom to Chiefs Kingdom." They also showed a video of Rees-Zammit at his new home, Arrowhead Stadium, and he was amazed by the size of the arena.
Rees-Zammit has played in front of lots of people for Wales, but it wasn't something he did all the time with his club.
Gloucester, the former rugby team of Rees-Zammit, has a Kingsholm Stadium that can accommodate 16,000 fans. Meanwhile, Arrowhead, his new home, can hold an additional 60,000, with a total capacity exceeding 76,000.
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