Prince William shows off American football skills at NFL charity event

Prince William impressed Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit and two-time Super Bowl-winner Osi Umenyiora with his (American) football skills at an NFL Foundation UK event in London on Tuesday.

William tried various football drills and was told to “embrace his inner Shakira” to avoid tackles by former Buffalo Bills coach and current GB Women’s Flag Football Team captain Phoebe Schecter as he threw a pass.

The event was hosted by the NFL Foundation in the UK — a charity working with young people in deprived areas — which uses the sport to engage teenagers in a team environment.

William looked on as the children went through various passing and catching drills, and even stepped in at quarterback in an NFL Flag match, launching one pass across the field.

“You can’t hide talent. He has it,” ex-NFL cornerback Jason Bell told ESPN. “I mean he was able to make a lot of throws and just come out here and just be willing to take part in all of this, which is the key.”

“He’s the future king of England,” Umenyiora added “Even if he wasn’t good, we’re going to say he was good.”

The Prince asked Schecter for guidance on how to get the ball to spin properly, and promptly threw the ball into one of five small holes in a large net.

Prince William showcasing his throwing ability at @Jaguars flag football game with NFL Foundation UK 👏

A new recruit for Flag Football at @LA28? 👀

🏈 @KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/Mcm8XXsFxr

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) October 15, 2024

“That was pretty incredible, to be honest,” Schecter told ESPN. “I mean he has an incredible arm strength anyways … we all saw him throwing the football the length of the field at one point. But yes, to be able to give him a few pointers to be able to be even more successful was pretty special.”

William was heard saying he’ll continue honing his technique at home with his three children, but said he was wary of how many windows he could smash in the process.

“His arm was better than mine,” Rees-Zammit, who crossed from rugby union to the NFL and is part of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, told ESPN. “He was great. He was very intrigued about the game of football and about my transition.”