The road to NFL stardom is littered with tales of perseverance, sacrifice, and big paydays. But few have traveled a path as uncharted as Louis Rees-Zammit‘s riches-to-even-more-riches journey from Welsh rugby winger to the Kansas City Chiefs. Like Frodo trekking across Middle Earth, this athletic halfling is wagering his fortunes on an epic quest into uncharted territory.

Swapping tries for touchdowns, the 23-year-old recently inked a 3-year deal that could see his salary double what he banked as a British rugby star. The numbers are still Rudy-sized compared to Patrick Mahomes‘ $503 million megadeal. But for a rookie international player, it’s a Blind Side-level opportunity to hit the NFL jackpot if this real-life Invincible can stick on the Super Bowl champs’ roster.

Louis Rees-Zammit prefers the NFL Jackpot

In the ultimate rags-to-rugby-riches tale, Louis Rees-Zammit is cashing in big time on his daring leap to the NFL. The Welsh winger’s reported 3-year, $900,000 annual contract with the Kansas City Chiefs absolutely dwarfs what he took home as a rugby star.

As per reports by The Telegraph Rees-Zammit was taking home £225,000 per year when he was at Gloucester Rugby and playing for Wales. His new Chiefs deal pays out nearly double that sum annually, before even accounting for incentives and endorsements.

It’s an earth-shattering raise befitting of Rees-Zammit’s unique athletic profile that saw over a dozen NFL franchises hoping to add his 4.43 speed to their roster. “Louis has impressed the dozens of coaches and scouts who have met with him over the past few weeks,” revealed his agent Miale to Wales Online. “His athleticism and versatility make him a standout in the IPP program. Over a dozen teams are interested.”

For the Chiefs, it represented a calculated but aggressive entry-level investment to bring Rees-Zammit’s diverse skill set stateside. Kansas City envisions unlocking his “Offensive Weapon X potential” by deploying him creatively as a running back, receiver, and special teams threat akin to San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel.

While the figures are still modest compared to the astronomical wages of elite NFL vets, it’s an unheard-of payday for a rugby crossover prospect. A rugby jackpot that could just be an appetizer if Rees-Zammit blossoms into the next big strike for the Chiefs’ organizational wizardry.

Is Zammit outearning the Rugby wunderkind?

While Louis Rees-Zammit’s rookie NFL deal is already a seismic raise from his rugby days, the real financial windfall awaits if he ascends to stardom. His earning potential could eventually dwarf the planet’s highest-paid rugby players.

The current rugby union top earner is Scotland’s Finn Russell at $1.3 million per season with Bath. England’s Owen Farrell is set to join that elite $1 million-plus club after his move to Racing 92. Impressive annual hauls, but just a drop in the bucket compared to the mega-contracts awarded to elite NFL difference-makers like Rees-Zammit’s new Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes

If Rees-Zammit can go from Welsh rugby winger to prolific NFL receiver like former Chief Marquez Valdes-Scantling, we’re looking at salaries north of £23 million per year! MVS himself just signed a sweet 3-year, $30 million contract with over $4.75 million guaranteed at signing.

Read More: Louis Rees-Zammit Parents: Meet Former Football Player Father Joe Rees-Zammit and Mother Maxine

Such stratospheric NFL earnings dispel the notion that rugby’s highest echelon represents the financial peak for premium athletic talents like the 6’3″ 194-pound Welsh marvel. If he hits, Rees-Zammit could quickly leapfrog behemoths like South Africa’s $1.13 million-per-year winger Cheslin Kolbe.

The path won’t be easy, as former Australian rugby league pro-Jordan Mailata‘s journey attests. But Mailata’s rise from 7th-round project to $88 million man shows the life-altering NFL rewards awaiting elite international athletes willing to master the transition.

For Rees-Zammit, it’s a dizzying world of financial opportunity that extends far beyond what his former rugby rivals could ever imagine domestically.

Read More: Louis Rees-Zammit Brother: Meet Taylor Rees-Zammit, Who Used to Play Rugby for a Different Nation Than Wales