Louis Rees-Zammit signs one-year Bristol Bears deal after NFL bid

Louis ReesZammit has returned to rugby union after a high-profile attempt to forge a career in American football, signing a one-year deal with Bristol Bears and signaling his intent to be ready for the start of the Premiership season. The 24-year-old Welsh wing, who left Gloucester in January 2024 to chase NFL opportunities with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, did not appear in a competitive game for either club before deciding to resume his rugby career.

ReesZammit’s NFL stint was marked by a rapid ascent from a pathway program to NFL practice squads, but it did not translate into a regular-season appearance. He described his time in the United States with a blunt honesty that reflected the broader challenges of the transition from rugby to American football. “I just felt like I was kind of wasting my talent out there,” he said, explaining that the pathway into the NFL is heavily weighted toward players who have gone through the college system, and that “it’s very difficult to get into the NFL if you haven’t gone through the college system.” He added that his opportunities were limited by the structure of the sport and the competition for roster spots, but...