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Ian Cameron of RugbyPass wrote last January that at least four rugby players confirmed their participation in the NFL’s International Pathway Program.
One is Welsh player Louis Rees-Zammit, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He's the latest athlete to make the transition to American football.
How many rugby players have played in the NFL?
While the exact number is uncertain, Wikipedia lists 16 players who transitioned from rugby union (15-a-side) to American football and four who switched from rugby league (13-a-side). It’s an unofficial count, and there might be more unaccounted-for players.
While the two sports have common themes, like tackling opponents to end plays, athletes must adjust to the NFL’s nuances, especially the rulebook. Despite the differences between the two disciplines, five players have found success in both.
Top five rugby players who crossed over to NFL
Although there’s a sizeable list of players who made the switch, these five players are a cut above the rest, primarily because of the success they enjoyed in the NFL.
#5 Jordan Mailata
The Australian had his first taste of rugby with the Bankstown Bulls. He was slated to join the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ under-18 team in 2015 but fainted during pre-season training. He underwent surgery to repair his heart’s chambers, forcing him to be inactive from football for a year.
Mailata was offered a place in the South Sydney Rabbitohs' under-20 squad in 2017. However, he declined the offer, mainly because it was a reserve-grade contract. Likewise, the Rabbitohs coaching staff did not believe he could keep up with the sport’s free-flowing pace.
Hence, he signed up for the NFL’s International Pathway Program and trained at Florida’s IMG Academy. Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland scouted him, and the team selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft.
He became only the second NFL player without American high school or college experience. Mailata is the Eagles’ left tackle, protecting Jalen Hurts’ blind side. He did well enough to earn a four-year, $64 million contract during the 2021 offseason.
#4 Nate Ebner
Ebner represented the United States in the 2007 and 2008 IRB Junior World Championships. He also donned the country’s colors for rugby sevens in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Ebner started his football career as a walk-on in his junior year at Ohio State. He didn't try the sport during his first two years in college because he was competing internationally. He made it to the Buckeyes roster, carving a niche as a nickelback and special teamer.
The New England Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and was a member of the 2016 Second Team All-Pro roster. He parted ways with New England after the 2018 season and played for two more years with the New York Giants.
Ebner is a minority owner of Major League Rugby’s New England Free Jacks with former teammate Patrick Chung.
#3 Steve Tasker
Tasker’s rugby experience isn’t as extensive as that of the other people on this list. He joined Northwestern University’s team after ending his college football career and before playing in the NFL. Despite no prior experience, he became the MVP of the 1985 Big Ten Conference Rugby Tournament.
Shortly after, the Houston Oilers selected him in the ninth round of that year’s draft. However, he would make an impact when he suited up for the Buffalo Bills for 12 of his 14-season career, ending in 1997. As a special teamer, Tasker became a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time First Team All-Pro.
In 2008, he was ninth in the NFL Network’s top-10 players not enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tasker has been a constant nominee but never made the final class as of 2024.
#2 Haloti Ngata
Ngata helped Utah’s Highland Rugby Club reach the National Rugby Championship.
He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning Consensus All-American and Pac-12 Co-Defensive of the Year honors in 2005. A year later, the Baltimore Ravens made him the 12th overall pick. He became the franchise’s cornerstone at defensive tackle for nine seasons, earning five All-Pro and five Pro Bowl selections.
Ngata won Super Bowl 47 with the Ravens. He also played for the Detroit Lions for two seasons and the Eagles for one year before retiring after the 2018 season. Like Tasker, he received Pro Football Hall of Fame induction nominations but hasn’t made the final list yet, but the Ravens inducted him into their Ring of Honor.
#1 Gary Anderson
Anderson grew up playing rugby in South Africa. However, on the third day after immigrating to the United States, he went to a local high school in Pennsylvania to kick American footballs. His display impressed a coach who was friends with Dick Vermeil and arranged a tryout with the Eagles.
However, he was 18 then, and college scouts were also present. He chose Syracuse University instead of the NFL because they allowed him to play on the soccer team.
After graduating from Syracuse, the Bills selected him in the seventh round of the 1982 draft. While he did not make Buffalo’s final roster, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him, which started his 23-season NFL career.
Anderson, known for his one-bar facemask, earned three All-Pro and four Pro Bowl selections. In 1998, he became the NFL’s scoring leader, becoming the first placekicker to convert all regular-season field goal and extra-point attempts.
He retired after the 2004 season with the Tennessee Titans, converting 99.7 percent of his extra point (820 of 827) and 80.1 percent of his field goal (538 of 672) attempts.
