FORMER Down senior football goalkeeper Charlie Smyth has in recent weeks become the success story of the season in the United States after his game-winning field goals continue to make the headlines and made history in New Orleans.
The Mayobridge man has this week made franchise history in the "Big Easy" of New Orleans after he matched the record for most points from a kicker in New Orleans Saints history after he recorded 17 points in Sunday evening's victory over the New York Jets.
The former Down GAA star was rewarded for his match-winning kick against the Carolina Panthers on Gameweek 16 with a spot on the Saints' 53-man roster, along with a new deal. The 24-year-old either had to be permanently promoted to the roster or released having been elevated from the Saints' practice squad on three previous occasions.
For reference, once you have been elevated to the main roster three times, you have to become a permanent stay with a contract offer.
Smyth had his best showing in the NFL in the win over the Jets as he kicked five field goals and landed two extra point attempts when the Saints cruised to victory over their opponents, with the Down man scoring 17 of the 29 points recorded by the Saints.
After the victory, Charlie Smyth spoke about how his team-mates have helped him massively in the past four games.
"I want to give great credit to the offence and defence today. We are starting to play some real complementary football here," Smyth said after the win.
"The support from everyone in New Orleans has been unreal. This team has stuck together and that is why the wins have started to come."
In his four NFL outings so far, the Saints have managed to win three times and impressively he had a successful onside kick, one of the rarest achievements for an NFL Kicker. A match-winning kick on the final second of a game and recording a record-equalling tally of 17 points in a single game for the Irishman has seen him become one of the success stories of the season in North America.
The regular season wraps up in two weeks' time ahead of the play-offs in the new year.
Currently, the New Orleans Saints sit with a 5-10 win and loss record, which unfortunately for Charlie, means that their final two games are more or less meaningless in terms of the current season.
Of those five victories Charlie Smyth has been hugely important and helped the Saints to earn 60 per cent of their season wins and with two games remaining Smyth will be hopeful that he can overcome the Tennessee Titans and their final game against Divisional rivals Atlanta Falcons.
Jude McAtamney is currently a free agent in the NFL
In theory the Saints could wrap up the season with one of the best win streaks in the NFL as they currently hold three victories in a row to their name.
Charlie's story is fascinating which saw him earn his pathway to professional sports via the NFL's International Player Pathway.
Smyth originally signed with the Saints as a free agent in 2024 through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program and has spent the past two seasons on the Saints' practice squad before taking over the kicking duties in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins.
Up until Friday Smyth had four-of-five onfield goal attempts with a long of 56 yards and successfully converted an onside kick. His first career field goal, a 56-yarder, is tied for the second-longest made on a first attempt in NFL history. In Week 15 against Carolina, he connected on a 42-yarder and the game-winning 47-yarder with two seconds remaining, marking New Orleans' first game-winning field goal since 2022.
Charlie Smyth has been a trailblazer for Irish sport this year, but he has not been the only Irish former GAA star to play in the NFL this season.
Jude McAtamney, also dawned the cleats for the New York Giants earlier this season and for a while was another huge Irish success story. From Swatragh, McAtamney had played four regular season games following an injury to first choice kicker Graham Gano in September.
The first of those games saw him produce a flawless performance in the victory over the Los Angeles Chargers before the Giants suffered a defeat away to Charlie Smyth's New Orleans Saints.
The former U-20 Derry GAA player made the same journey in 2024 as Charlie Smyth, earning his call-up through the International system.
On both of those occasions, McAtamney was elevated from the practice squad, but with rules stipulating he could not be brought in for a third time, he was signed to the team's full 53-man roster.
The Swatragh native made four kicks out of five as the Giants beat defending Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17, but Jude's success story ended in cruel fashion after the Derry native missed two crucial extra point kicks against the Denver Broncos in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and was waived from the squad.
The pair have been a shining light on how transitional Gaelic Games can be for sports across the globe and with Charlie still very much an active member of the Saints panel the headlines for the rest of the season can still be written in favour of the Down man.
Like any Irish man or woman, cheering them on from home is often a really enjoyable part of being from our our small island, bringing us all together as one to support one of our own as they conquer the world.
