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Dreams vs. Reality: The Stark Truth About Getting Into The NFL

Dreams vs. Reality: The Stark Truth About Getting Into The NFL

The odds were stacked against Louis Rees-Zammit as he aimed to establish himself in the NFL.

And, after spending 18 months chasing his NFL dream, the Welsh star decided last week that the time was right to return to rugby.

The 24-year-old is the latest ‘crossover athlete’ unable to make the transition from another sport, most of them from rugby.

Australia’s Jordan Mailata managed to do so, becoming a Super Bowl winner this year, but why is it so hard for others to break into the NFL?

‘Playbooks are tougher to learn than law books’
Any NFL players who have come through the North American education system have grown up with American football and had years to grasp the intricacies and nuances of the sport.

Osi Umenyiora and Efe Obada are two of those who have been born overseas and proved it is possible to pick up the game late and still succeed, but you must be able to understand a playbook.

Christian Scotland-Williamson played rugby union either side of a two-year stint on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad and has since become a barrister.

During a video call with BBC Sport, the 32-year-old held up two law books – each more than an inch thick – and said: “Learning both of these was easier than learning an NFL playbook, which is absolutely absurd.

“Doing all that [legal training], I still wasn’t working as hard as I had to when I went to the NFL. It recalibrates what you think is hard.”

Speaking to the BBC after beginning his NFL journey in 2018, Christian Wade held his hands several inches apart and said “the playbook’s like this”.

“It is quite intimidating but there’s a method to it,” he added. “You have to learn the terminology and how to dissect it so that you can retain the information, then in a few hours put that into practice. Then do the same in the afternoon and the next day.”

Before Rees-Zammit called time on his NFL adventure, he would have been learning his third playbook in 18 months having spent the 2024 off-season with the Kansas City Chiefs and the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who then appointed a new head coach in January.

Christian Wade, who spent three seasons on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad, told Osi Umenyiora “the playbook’s like this”

‘You have to be unparalleled to break through’
Even if you can process a playbook, two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora points to something called the ‘planet theory’, external as a major obstacle for NFL hopefuls like Rees-Zammit.

Espoused by late New York Giants general manager George Young and their legendary head coach Bill Parcells, the theory states there are only a few humans on the planet who have the ideal size and athleticism to succeed as offensive and defensive linemen, thereby making them more valuable.

The opposite is true at running back and wide receiver, which along with quarterback and tight end are considered American football’s ‘skill positions’.

They are the positions Rees-Zammit tried his hand at and, after last week’s decision, he mentioned how so many similar players were competing for a spot on the active roster.

“I think Rees-Zammit is a fantastic athlete, but in terms of pace and athleticism, there’s maybe 500 of those guys in Florida alone, so it’s usually a lot more difficult for players like that,” said Umenyiora.

“You have to be unparalleled. You have to be superior athletically to be able to learn the game and then break through.”

Rees-Zammit is one of the fastest players in world rugby, he registered 4.43 seconds for the 40-yard dash, external but that put him just joint-27th among the players eligible for last year’s NFL Draft.

But even if he was the quickest, players new to the NFL need time to catch up on the “football IQ” their rivals have already developed, says pundit Phoebe Schecter.

“The key factor is the ability to take what’s learned in the classroom and apply it at elite speed on the field because players can overthink it, there can be paralysis by analysis,” she added.

“And from a rugby perspective, your instinct is to find space, but in American football you shouldn’t necessarily do that, you should follow your blocker.”

Hard work key to Mailata’s success

Umenyiora and Obada were both defensive linemen, while Jordan Mailata is an offensive lineman who is 6ft 8in and weighs 365lbs (26st).

The former rugby league player had not played American football when he was drafted in 2018 by the Philadelphia Eagles, who no doubt had ‘planet theory’ in mind having already seen that he has athleticism to go with his size.

“There’s just not that many people on the planet like him,” said Umenyiora.

“It’s all supply and demand really. The supply of that type of athlete is very low and the demand very high, so [NFL teams] give them every chance to succeed.

“When you get a guy like that, people tend to give him more specialised attention [than players like Rees-Zammit] because he’s playing a premium position in the NFL.”

As a left tackle, Mailata is responsible for protecting the quarterback’s blind side – if they are right-handed – but it was not an immediate transition.

After learning the basics through the NFL’s International Player Pathway, he spent two seasons on the Eagles’ practice squad before playing his first game in 2020.

And British coach Aden Durde, who started the IPP programme with Umenyiora and is now the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, stressed that Mailata’s success is not just down to his genes.

“He has a set of skills, is very resilient and very smart,” said Durde. “He learned how to develop in the sport and what he’s good at – the ability to pass protect.

“Many factors have pushed him to where he is now, and a lot of those are down to him and the way he’s carried himself in all the different environments he’s worked in.”

The Buffalo Bills hope that Travis Clayton develops the same way after making the 6ft 7in former rugby union player the second IPP athlete to be drafted last year, while there are an increasing number of Australian and Irish kickers and punters in the NFL.

Having grown up playing Australian rules and Gaelic football, they have already honed their kicking skills, and as they only take the field in kicking scenarios, the gap in game knowledge is much easier for them to bridge.

But for those ‘crossover athletes’ aiming to shine in a ‘skill position’, the NFL transition remains a hugely difficult challenge to overcome.

Bbc.com

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2nd Niger Delta Games: Tournament Organisers Impressed With Facilities In Edo State

 

Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.

The project management team was guided round select facility locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.

“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.

He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.

“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.

Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.

The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.

The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.

Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.

Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.

In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Tournament Organisers

Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.

The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.

 

 

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Niger Delta Games 2026: We’ll Deliver A Memorable Championship – Edo State Gov Assures NDDC 

 

 

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has affirmed the readiness of the State to host the next edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival slated for, February, 2026.

He made the commitment on Tuesday when the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Benin City.

Governor Okpebholo who welcomed the NDDC’s proposal pledged that Edo State would deliver a successful and memorable sports festival. “You have chosen the right state,” the Governor said.

“We are not just the Heartbeat of the Nation for nothing. We have the strength, we have the athletes, and we have what it takes to win every sporting activity.”

The Governor also appealed to the NDDC for a partnership to rehabilitate the Agbor–Uromi Road, which he described as “not motorable,” stressing its importance for economic and social movement.

In his remarks, the NDDC Managing Director, Chief Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, congratulated Governor Okpebholo on his one year in office and commended his administration’s strides, particularly in the area of sports and infrastructural development.

He explained that the visit was to formally seek Edo State’s hosting of the forthcoming Niger Delta Games with the theme “Beyond Oil: Harnessing Talents.”

According to him, the festival whose maiden edition was held earlier this year with over 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta States, was designed to strengthen regional integration using sports as a unifying tool.

He emphasized the importance of fostering collaboration between the NDDC and State Governments, noting that past tensions had hindered progress.

“Your Excellency, NDDC is not a government. It is an interventionist agency. We must always work with state governors if we want to succeed. One of the greatest problems we had in the past was opposition from state governments, but we are bridging that gap,” Ogbuku said.

He highlighted ongoing and completed NDDC projects in Edo State, including interventions in erosion control, ecological challenges, and internal roads in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and Edo State Polytechnic, Usen.

“We know these challenges are bigger than one state alone. That is why we seek partnership,” he added.

In his closing remarks, the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, thanked the governor for his strong support and commitment to sports development.

With Edo’s advanced sporting infrastructure and renewed regional collaboration, the February festival is expected to draw athletes from Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, and other Niger Delta states, positioning Edo as a central hub for sports excellence in the region.

Also present were the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilo, Esq; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gani Audu; Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Hon. Okogbe Donald; and the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Amadin Desmond Enabulele, among other officials.

 

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Jenni Hermoso Leads Spain’s Fairytale Comeback As La Roja Win Nations League Final Over Germany

Jenni Hermoso and Alexia Putellas celebrating Spain’s Nations League victory.

Spain’s legendary forward Jenni Hermoso completed a perfect comeback story on Tuesday night as La Roja defeated Germany 3-0 in Madrid to clinch the UEFA Nations League title for the second consecutive year.

The victory caps a remarkable return for Hermoso, who rejoined the national team in October after a year-long absence and has now added yet another major trophy to her glittering career.

Hermoso’s Joy As Spain Cruise Past Germany

Hermoso entered the match as a second-half substitute, helping Spain close out a dominant second leg after drawing 1-1 in Germany.

Despite the absence of injured Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, Spain were unstoppable:

  • Claudia Pina scored a brilliant brace

  • Vicky López added a third

  • Spain controlled the match from start to finish

The win also comes just months after Hermoso helped Spain lift the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a tournament overshadowed by the infamous kiss scandal involving former RFEF president Luis Rubiales.

Reflecting on the triumph, Hermoso said:

“It has been many months of work, of thinking about putting a Spain shirt on again. In the end, everything has its reward. We continue to show we are the best team in the world.”

Alexia Putellas: “One Of The Most Magical Nights Of My Career”

The Estadi Metropolitano was electric, drawing 55,843 fans — the largest home crowd in Spain’s women’s national team history.

Barcelona icon Alexia Putellas, who has lifted nearly every major trophy in the women’s game, said the night felt historic:

“It’s one of the most magical nights we’ve lived, one of the best nights of my career. Some of us have been playing for the national team for 13 years and never imagined this.”

Putellas emphasized the importance of Spain’s success in inspiring the next generation of players:

“We’ll continue to inspire girls and boys to fight for their dreams, which sometimes come true.”

First Trophy For Coach Sonia Bermúdez

Spain’s latest triumph also represents a milestone for Sonia Bermúdez, who took charge of the team in August and has now secured her first major trophy as head coach.

Bermúdez praised her team’s energy, pressing, and defensive structure:

“Defensively, the team was spectacular, and in attack we have players with a real eye for goal. We’re very happy.”

She also expressed gratitude to fans and family:

“We felt the fans so close—this stadium has something special. We wanted to give the fans this victory because they gave us everything.”

With a trophy now secured, Spain will shift attention to 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying in February.

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