Louis Rees-Zammit still impacting NFL as star | NFL News

A younger Brit who achieved his NFL desires once obtained an inspiring call from Louis Rees-Zammit. The Welsh star left the Rugby world in shock when he ventured into American soccer back in January 2024. The 24-year-old initially joined the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year contract after impressing on the NFL’s International Player Pathway programme. However, after spells with the Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, Rees-Zammit announced in July that he would return to rugby, having not performed a single down in the NFL.

London-born Rafael Blakstad had been enjoying for the Saracens academy before switching to American soccer. The towering broad receiver explained how he found the game, and how a telephone call from Rees-Zammit modified every part, with the now Bristol Bears star displaying his compassionate aspect to the teenager. “It was completely by chance and coincidence,” Blakstad told Sky Sports in October 2024, about ending up on the pathway to the NFL.

“I actually came to Loughborough for an open day for rugby. I played for Saracens and was an England Academy player for them, so Loughborough is one of the best rugby schools and I wanted to come here for union.

“I really occurred to get misplaced and I bumped into Lamonte Wilson (Head of the UK NFL Academy) and was asking where one thing was, he then requested, ‘Are you enjoying American soccer?’

“That kind of sparked this switch. I came down for a session or two and then one evening I was unsuspecting at home and got a call from Louis Rees-Zammit, which was mind-boggling.

“He was actually one of my favorite rugby gamers and achieved so a lot so younger in his profession. Obviously I’d heard about his transfer across and issues like that and our head coach Steve Hagen was on the market teaching. Being in a position to converse to him for a good 15/20 minutes was great, just to ask him about it because I used to be variety of on the fence about making the swap because rugby was going so effectively.

“Essentially there were similarities between both of us. He was obviously a lot higher level than me, but in terms of making that switch and going back to square one.”

He continued: “But ultimately the opportunities are infinite, and speaking to him I decide ‘yes, that is definitely something I want to do’ and the rest is history. He was telling me that if he had the opportunity to try and do the Academy when he was my age, even if he knew he was going to achieve all the things he would have later on in rugby, he still would given it all up.

“Hearing that from one of your idols, I just realised I could not miss this alternative because this is clearly such a big factor, and if he is prepared to give up all the issues he is achieved to give it a go and see if it may possibly work, then why should not I?”

Blakstad was offered a college football scholarship by the University of Mary in North Dakota, as confirmed by the NFL Academy’s official Instagram account on June 15, 2025, with the young star being congratulated on his offer by the institution.

Despite this significant step from the University of Mary, there is yet to be any confirmation that he has accepted the offer. He reportedly continues his training with the NFL Academy and occasionally shares updates about his progress on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Rees-Zammit, in an interview with The Telegraph in August 2025, confessed that it was time to depart the NFL. He said: “I just felt that I used to be losing my expertise on the market.”

He added: “It’s very troublesome to get into the NFL if you have not come through the school system,” he further explained. “You just do not get the same alternatives as those boys. I wasn’t getting many reps and I used to be fed up when I used to be practising there. [Rugby] was a good journey but it is one that wasn’t completed so I’m excited to carry it on.”