Story byRees-Zammit's return to rugby has been carefully managed after a long spell away ()Flo CliffordWed, December 31, 2025 at 11:29 AM UTC·3 min readBristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said Louis Rees-Zammit’s ultimately unsuccessful attempt to break into the NFL has made him a better rugby player. The 24-year-old surprised the rugby world by announcing he would step back from the sport to target the NFL, joining the NFL’s international player pathway programme in January 2024. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe signed for the Kansas City Chiefs and also had a spell with the Jacksonville Jaguars but didn’t play a single NFL game in his 18-month stint and returned to rugby this July, saying he was “wasting his talent” in America. Lam said that despite his lack of game time the Wales back had improved physically in his time away from rugby.“It’s made him a more rounded player,” Lam said ahead of Bristol’s game against Sale Sharks on Friday. “He’ll beat tackles, he’s powerful. I think he fights a long time on his feet.
