sport news JJ Watt claims NFL's kickoff rule change is the reason why the Chiefs signed ... trends now
With equal excitement and skepticism surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs' signing of Louis Rees-Zammit, JJ Watt chimed in on the rugby star's move to the NFL.
On March 29, the reigning Super Bowl champions confirmed the signing of the 23-year-old for a reported $870,000-a-year contract. The Welsh ace had recently quit rugby to embark on the NFL's International Player Pathway in January.
On the latest edition of the Stick to Football podcast, Watt claimed the Chiefs signed the ex-rugby star as it would be advantageous given the NFL's recent kickoff rule changes. However, he noted the difficulties Zammit will face during his transition into American football.
'With Louis Rees-Zammit, the rugby player who has been signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, it's big news,' he told the "Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. 'He's strong and looks amazing. They're doing a big reveal on it, which is funny because I saw a meme on it recently that they're doing a reveal for a guy who is going to be fighting for a roster spot.
'The NFL has just changed the kickoff rules, so I think that's part of why they've signed him as he has experience in this. As rugby has a similar style running system where the kickoffs might play, but there is no guarantee he's going to be a slam dunk but he's absolutely going to make it, at least from the little that I know about it.
JJ Watt claimed that the Chiefs signed Louis Rees-Zammit due to the NFL's kickoff rule change
The Wales rugby star, 23, embarked on the NFL's International Player Pathway in January
Zammit signed a three-year deal with the reigning Super Bowl Champions late in March
Watt played 12 seasons in the NFL with three Defensive Player of the Year honors, five First-Team All-Pro selections, and five Pro Bowl appearances. Having spent most of his career with the Texans before joining the Cardinals in 2021, the retired defensive end shared his insight on making it in the NFL.
'The NFL is such a cut-throat business, so it's going to be hard for him to make it, but we shall see. It's just because there's only 53 spots and you start the roster with 90 players, so that means you're cutting all those guys to get down to 50 and means the
