NFL quarterback Tyson Bagent says it is going to be “more difficult” for players such as Louis Rees-Zammit who’ve come through the International Player Pathway to make it in the NFL.

Bagent says the fact they haven’t had prior experience of learning a college playbook will make it harder to learn all the plays required in the NFL.

An NFL playbook differs from team to team although some playbooks can comprise hundreds of plays.

Bagent, who joined the Chicago Bears in 2023, says it has been the hardest part about transitioning from collegiate to professional American Football.

“It is the hardest job in the entire world, being an NFL Quarterback,” said Bagent.

“It’s so difficult, so heady. It was a tough acclimation for me because growing up, everything I did was physical based; working out every day, getting in the cold tub, the sauna, stretching, eating right and then you come here, and you have to have a PhD in football.”

What has made it somewhat of an easier transition for Bagent is that he can fall back on experiences earned during his time as a college quarterback at Shepherd University.

There, Bagent would have had to learn a different playbook but also he would have experienced a vast array of defensive plays and looks.

“From playing college football, I’d already seen everything, even if I couldn’t put it into words, I think that repetition is the mother of all learning so that helped me out a lot,” said Bagent.

“When I started in the NFL, if ever there was a route concept that was similar to one we did in college, in order to learn it I’ll think: ‘This was called stars in college, now we call it fun, so stars equals fun,’ you start to marry the two and you get out of your old language and into your new language.

“It’s mental tomfoolery 24/7.”

So what about the likes of Louis Rees-Zammit who, despite having been a part of several professional setups in the past, doesn’t have the same level of experience to call on in American Football.

“It’s going to be more difficult for the guys on the IPP, there’s nothing really to say apart from work really hard,” said Bagent.

“That and make plays, if you make plays, you’ll have a job, it’s going to be hard regardless of if you have experience or not.

“Then again, being around the NFL for a season, you realise they’re all just normal people, everybody’s working hard, but they’re not working hard enough that it makes me nervous, I still felt that I could work harder and that’s what they’ll need to do.”

Photograph credit – Chicago Bears