Wales rugby international Louis Rees-Zammit has been omitted from Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man playing squad for the coming NFL season but his hopes of playing are not yet over.
The 23-year-old, who has won 42 caps on the wing for Wales, has been training with the two-time Super Bowl winners for the last couple of months since taking part in a 10-week training camp as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP).
During the pre-season games in August, Rees-Zammit was used sparingly in several positions, with modest statistics (22 yards in six carries, three yards on one reception), according to the American press.
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Rees-Zammit is expected to continue training with the Chiefs although he is also allowed to sign for another club.
Rees-Zammit stunned the rugby world in January, on the eve of the Six Nations, when he announced that he was giving up the game to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
Winners of three of the last five Superbowls, the star-studded Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes is at quarterback while Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce plays tight-end – kick off their season at their Arrowhead stadium on September 6 against the Baltimore Ravens.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Large protests were organized across the country calling for justice for Renee Good, including in Kansas City, where Good lived before her move to Minneapolis.
Because Renee Good once called Kansas City home, locals still consider her one of their neighbors. They want her death to be a turning point in how ICE works.
The gathering began with a vigil as roughly 1,000 protesters honored Renee Good and everyone else who has died in ICE custody or encounters. Reports show that since President Trump took office again, more than 30 people have lost their lives in that category, marking 2025 the deadliest year for the agency in over 20 years.
Hundreds gathered in Kansas City to protest after multiple federal shootings were reported, including the fatal shooting of former community member Renee Good.(KCTV5/Alex Love)
Speakers call for reform
“The killing of Renee Good reminded this country of a hard truth: this system doesn’t just harm immigrants,” one speaker during the vigil said. “It harms the soul of our communities.”
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In attendance was Bradford Bray, an Iraq War veteran who served in the Air Force and Navy from 1995-2005. He said he is furious about how ICE operates.
“It’s the constitution. That’s what we’re fighting for,” Bray said. “It’s the land of laws. These people are not trained. They’ll hire anybody with a signing bonus. If these people are trained, I’m the Pope.”
Hundreds gathered in Kansas City to protest after multiple federal shootings were reported, including the fatal shooting of former community member Renee Good.(KCTV5/Alex Love)
Like most in attendance, he disputes arguments by the federal government that Renee Good was trying to run over the ICE agent.
“Even the guy that shot her was filming her and she said I’m not mad at you,” Bray said. “She was pleasant. She was just trying to get out of the way and do the right thing. She was turning her wheels to get out of the way when she was shot.”
March moves through Plaza
After the vigil, most of the crowd turned the protest into a march through the Plaza, spreading the message that killings by federal agents cannot become the norm.
Hundreds gathered in Kansas City to protest after multiple federal shootings were reported, including the fatal shooting of former community member Renee Good.(KCTV5/Alex Love)
“I’m a 71-year-old great-grandmother who’s afraid for the future of my great-grandchildren in a country that’s turning fascist,” Terisa Mott said. “Any of them could be grabbed off the streets or shot like they shot that woman.”
Counter-protesters present
Some Trump and ICE supporters, like Scott Watts, were among the crowd. He sent condolences to Renee Good’s family but said he believes illegal immigration should not be tolerated.
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“I spent time at the southern border and I saw thousands of pretty dangerous people being let out of that border,” Watts said. “That are here now and that’s what Trump’s trying to do is protect us.”
Watts carried a sign highlighting American citizens who had been killed by illegal immigrants over the years, including Mollie Tibbetts of Brooklyn, Iowa, who was stabbed to death while jogging in 2018 by Christian Behena Rivera.
“I’m at a loss for words when it comes to stuff like this,” Watts said. “But I’ll stand out here day after day to try to educate people. I don’t want to fight or anything like that. I just want people to realize there’s dangerous people out there and they need to be aware of those people.”
The gathering stayed peaceful, and traffic kept moving smoothly.
Kansas basketball’s regular season continued Saturday, Jan. 10, with a Big 12 Conference game on the road against West Virginia, and saw KU lose 86-75.
The No. 21 Jayhawks struggled mightily down the stretch in the second half. The Mountaineers fed off of their home crowd. Had KU won, it would have been the first time WVU lost at home this season.
Here’s TCU coach Jamie Dixon’s perspective on KU’s comeback win
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Here is what happened during this game in Morgantown, West Virginia:
The Jayhawks are running out of time, as the Mountaineers appear to lead comfortably with about four minutes left in regulation. It’s a 22-5 run for WVU right now. Kansas has hit just two of its last 14 shots from the field.
West Virginia is now on a 13-0 run, and leading by five points with about nine and a half minutes remaining in regulation. Kansas hasn’t scored in more than five minutes. KU also has missed its last eight shots from the field.
Kansas hasn’t scored in more than three minutes, and West Virginia has used that drought to go on a 7-0 run. The Mountaineers could also tie the score coming out of this break, as a WVU player scored while getting fouled going into this timeout. It’s important to note that it’s not just Bryson Tiller who’s in foul trouble for Kansas with four fouls, as Flory Bidunga has three fouls.
Darryn Peterson is up to 20 points and six rebounds, as he’s continued to connect on every opportunity from the free-throw line. Foul trouble, though, has started to become a problem. Kansas has a starter in Bryson Tiller who’s up to four fouls, and West Virginia has two starters who are up to three fouls.
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Brenen Lorient has thrived on the way to nine points, as West Virginia holds a slim lead with a little less than five minutes left in the first half. The Mountaineers have been able to gain an advantage from behind the arc. KU still hasn’t established long-range shooting as a threat, with WVU putting itself in a position for an upset.
3-point shooting hasn’t played a major role in the game so far, with the Jayhawks not even hitting one yet today. However, KU still holds a slim lead with about 11 and a half minutes remaining before halftime. Darryn Peterson has tried to be that standout talent for Kansas, but the shots haven’t fallen.
Kansas is trailing early, as the Jayhawks have struggled to see Darryn Peterson get going. Bryson Tiller has not lived up to his potential on the defensive end. Look for KU to do more to involve Flory Bidunga.
Pregame
Check out the starting lineups
Kansas coach Bill Self previews game
Kansas basketball vs West Virginia game time
Date: Saturday, Jan. 10
Time: 11 a.m. (CT)
Location: Hope Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia
What channel is Kansas basketball vs West Virginia game on today?
Kansas basketball’s game against West Virginia will be broadcast on FOX during the 2025-26 college season. Streaming options include Fubo. It’s a chance for KU to earn another road win this season.
Kansas basketball vs West Virginia betting line
Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of Saturday, Jan. 10
Spread: Kansas by 3.5
O/U: 138.5
Kansas basketball 2025-26 schedule
Here’s a look at Kansas’ last three games:
Dec. 22 (home): Davidson — Kansas won 90-61
Jan. 3 (away): UCF — Kansas lost 81-75
Jan. 6 (home): TCU — Kansas won 104-100
West Virginia basketball 2025-26 schedule
Here’s a look at West Virginia’s last three games:
Dec. 22 (home): Mississippi Valley State — West Virginia won 86-51
Jan. 2 (away): Iowa State — West Virginia lost 80-59
Jan. 6 (home): Cincinnati — West Virginia won 62-60
Kansas basketball vs West Virginia score
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The KSHB 41 News team will be landing in Northeast Kansas City, Missouri, for our latest Let’s Talk event.
We’ll be hanging out from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Peachtree Cafeteria, 2128 E. 12th Street, in Kansas City, Missouri, 64127.
Join KSHB 41’s Kevin Holmes, Wes Peery, Alyssa Jackson, Ryan Gamboa and others in person to let us know what we need to learn about the Historic Northeast, its residents, what’s going well and what opportunities are possible.
If you can’t make it in person, send us a question using the form below.
