ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — By his own acknowledgement, Louis Rees-Zammit isn’t living the most exciting life in his first Kansas City Chiefs training camp. Meetings, practice and study time consume his days as he tries to make the successful conversion from rugby star to football player.
“We don’t finish meetings until 8 p.m. and I probably go to bed at 10 p.m. so an extra two hours just learning the plays because I’m playing catch up with a lot of people that have played American football since they were little kids, six years old,” Rees-Zammit said as the Chiefs continued rookie minicamp at Missouri Western State University. “There’s no time to rest for me. I’ve got to give this my all because ultimately this is my dream and to make it come true then I’ve got to play. I’ve got to be a step ahead of a lot of people.
“I’m nonstop trying to learn this playbook because as soon as I can start not having to think about playing and just playing fast, that’s the biggest thing for me.”
The Chiefs are looking at Rees-Zammit as a running back, but the kicking game is where he said he anticipates making his biggest immediate impact. He is among a group of competitors to be Kansas City’s kickoff returner.
Even claiming a special teams role would be an accomplishment for Rees-Zammit, 23, who has never played in an American football game.
“The first goal is to make the team,” he said when asked what would make for a successful season. “I know special teams is going to be massive for me. I’ve been working really hard on that … and just learning the playbook, learning the running back roles, being able to learn pass protection and then learning my routes off that.”
Rees-Zammit has made adjustments since signing with the Chiefs. He initially carried the ball high, in an unconventional position, when he first started in offseason practice, but has improved in protecting it. He has also caught the ball consistently well.
But the Chiefs haven’t practiced in pads yet, so he will get tested in a different way soon. Rees-Zammit said he’s prepared for the physical part of the game because of his rugby experience.
“I can’t wait to see the difference,” he said. “I get that question all the time: What’s harder hitting, rugby or American football? It’s going to be fun [to find out]. I played a contact sport since I was 12 years old. We started contact in rugby and that’s bone on bone, but we’ll see what it’s like when we come to pads.
“It’s just learning all the plays [that is] so different to what I’m used to. Obviously in rugby, you don’t have to learn as much, but I think physically I think I’m in good shape. I think rugby really prepared me for this. … I think the biggest difference is just mental, just staying on top of things, staying on top of the playbook and making no mistakes.”
The Chiefs have two weeks of training camp before their first preseason game, against the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Aug. 10. It will be a major event for all of the Chiefs’ young players and others trying to make the team, as Rees-Zammit is.
But given that it will be the first football game he’s participated in, it will mean a little more to Rees-Zammit.
“I’ve played in front of big crowds, so I don’t think the occasion is going to get to me,” he said. “Obviously it’s going to be a proud day for myself and my family if I get on the field and then it’s just about showing what I can do every time I get the ball in my hands, being able to be a difference-maker and just being able to help the team as much as I can.
“I’m very excited for that day.”