In a moment that will be etched in sporting folklore on both sides of the Atlantic, Charlie Smyth, a 24-year-old from the village of Mayobridge in County Down, announced his arrival in the American NFL with a breathtaking 56-yard field goal on his debut.
From Gaelic Football to NFL History
The former Gaelic footballer and qualified Irish-speaking schoolteacher displayed nerves of steel during the New Orleans Saints' 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at the Hard Rock Stadium. With one colossal swing of his right boot, Smyth not only scored his first points in the professional league but also emphatically kicked aside any lingering doubts about his audacious career switch.
His performance was described as "phenomenal" by Saints head coach Kellen Moore and "ice cold in his veins" by quarterback Tyler Shough. Remarkably, Smyth followed the mammoth field goal with one of the season's most accurate onside kicks, showcasing a versatility that belies his short time in the sport.
A Village's Pride and Initial Skepticism
Back in his tight-knit home community, the historic kick was met with jubilant celebration in Mayobridge's two pubs. However, Thomas O'Hare, secretary of the local GAA club, admitted that the initial reaction to Smyth's decision to pursue American football in early 2024 was one of widespread disbelief.
"When Charlie started going to these (NFL) trials, our club was in the middle of the season," O'Hare told the Press Association. "He missed a game on a Sunday morning and we were all saying, 'What the f*** is this fella doing?'... No-one could really believe it."
O'Hare, who has known Smyth most of his life, traced the roots of the kicker's powerful leg to childhood practice. "You used to see him practising these free-kicks off the ground aged about 12 or 13," he recalled, noting that Smyth's accuracy from distance was a prized asset in Gaelic football.
Joining an Exclusive Irish Club
Charlie Smyth's debut places him in an exceptionally rare group. He is only the third Irish-born kicker to feature in a regular NFL game, following in the footsteps of Jude McAtamney (New York Giants) earlier this year and Neil O'Donoghue, who played between 1977 and 1985.
Like McAtamney, Smyth's background is in Gaelic football, having won an Ulster Under-20 Championship with County Down as a goalkeeper in 2021. O'Hare explained that his transition to goalkeeper was strategic, leveraging his powerful and accurate restart kicks, which in modern Gaelic football are as possession-critical as a soccer goal-kick.
Upon learning he would be the Saints' starting kicker last Friday, Smyth's first call was to his parents, Leo and Julie. They, along with his sisters Caitlin and Molly, immediately boarded a flight to Miami via Chicago to witness his dream become reality.
Having signed a three-year deal with the Saints in April 2024, Smyth has been clear about his ambitions, stating his goal was not to "earn a wee bit of money and then go home" but to be the best and inspire others. For Thomas O'Hare and the youth of Mayobridge, he is already the perfect role model—a grounded, gentlemanly figure whose success is fuelling growing interest in the NFL among Ireland's younger generation.
