Hoosiers offensive lineman Carter Smith (65) lifts kicker Paddy McAteer (35) in celebration after the Irishman's 60-yard field goal. James Black/Icon Sportswire / Alamy
ColumnThe Redzone
Paddy McAteer’s college football heroics shine a new spotlight on Irish NFL ambitions
Armagh native became the latest Irish kicker to make a splash Stateside with a clutch 60-yard field goal.
FOR NEARLY 40 years, Neil O’Donoghue stood alone as an answer that settled many a sports quiz tie-breaker. Between 1987 and 2023, when Daniel Whelan was named as starting punter for the Green Bay Packers, O’Donoghue could lay claim to having been the last Irish-born player to suit up in the NFL.
And while Armagh’s Paddy McAteer is not being talked about for an NFL nod just yet, his 60-yard field goal on Saturday — which sent the game to overtime and kept his Indiana Hoosiers in the hunt for college football’s national title — was evidence he might get there some day.
With that one kick, the Mullaghbawn man showed that he has the number one attribute required for high-pressure kicking: an unwavering confidence in his own ability. It takes a certain swagger to step up and deliver when you are attempting something you’ve never tried before.
He told reporters after the game: “The furthest I’ve kicked is from 58,” he said. “We’ve never really touched 60, that’s the forbidden number.”
McAteer’s heroics provide a timely reminder of another Irishman attempting to establish himself in the high-pressure world of kicking, Charlie Smyth.
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Once an NFL starter, the Down native now finds himself on the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints, a spot he holds thanks to the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) programme.
Smyth converted 12 of his 16 field goal attempts during the final six games of the 2025 season, but lost out on a starting spot to veteran Daniel Carson in the offseason. And though he’s found himself watching from the sidelines, injury, execution issues, and off-the-field controversies might offer the former GAA man a new opportunity.
McAteer tied up the game before the Hoosiers won in overtime. James Black / Icon Sportswire / Alamy
James Black / Icon Sportswire / Alamy / Icon Sportswire / Alamy
Arizona, for example, looked like they might need a new kicker on Sunday night after Chad Ryland missed an extra point that would have secured them a win over the Dallas Cowboys. However, the Cardinals player made up for his mistake in overtime, nailing a 42-yard walk-off field goal.
For anyone not familiar with the intricacies of place kicking in American football, that’s the equivalent of kicking the ball out of play directly from a corner before scoring a penalty. Ryland may still be on borrowed time but, for now, his job appears to be safe.
The same can’t be said for Harrison Butker of Kansas City. Butker, though no stranger to controversy off the field, has been one of the league’s most successful place kickers in recent years. He has an above 80% accuracy percentage from field goals, and is nearly 95% accurate on extra points. Both great statistics.
On Sunday, however, Butker missed a crucial 54-yard field goal against Denver. His tame effort allowed the Broncos to subsequently make a dramatic late goalline stand on their way to a 28-24 victory as the Chiefs were forced to chase a touchdown for victory rather than being able to settle for a field goal.
Charlie Smyth could force his way back into the Saints' picture this week. Ringo Chiu / ZUMA / Alamy
Ringo Chiu / ZUMA / Alamy / ZUMA / Alamy
It was the latest in a string of important misses from Butker, who is now just 12 of 18 this season on field goals, a percentage so bad that Kansas City brought in former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker as competition.
This move sparked considerable debate, not least because Tucker is only available after being released by Baltimore following a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy in relation to allegations of sexual misconduct.
Asked about Tucker, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said the player — who continues to deny the allegations — had served his suspension and that the Chiefs would do what was best for the team. However, the backlash may be so strong that it opens up another opportunity for Smyth to gain a starting job.
Other potential landing spots include the LA Rams. The pre-season Super Bowl favourites are on their third kicker of the season and are considering a two-kicker solution going forward; one for field goals and extra points, one for kick-offs. Given the copycat nature of the league, don’t be surprised if other teams followed suit, particularly if it was successful.
It could even be that Smyth’s next landing spot turns out to be right where he is now. Carson’s grip on the Saints’ starting spot is loose, at best, and on Monday, head coach Kellen Moore indicated that his two kickers would go head-to-head in practice this week before he decides on a starter for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
For Smyth today, and for potential future NFL prospects like McAteer and Derry’s Jack Scullion, it’s always worth remembering that the opportunity for a spot on a team is only ever one kick away.
However, as Smyth knows all too well, the risk of losing your job can be decided by the exact same margin.
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Paddy McAteer’s college football heroics shine a new spotlight on Irish NFL ambitions
FOR NEARLY 40 years, Neil O’Donoghue stood alone as an answer that settled many a sports quiz tie-breaker. Between 1987 and 2023, when Daniel Whelan was named as starting punter for the Green Bay Packers, O’Donoghue could lay claim to having been the last Irish-born player to suit up in the NFL.
And while Armagh’s Paddy McAteer is not being talked about for an NFL nod just yet, his 60-yard field goal on Saturday — which sent the game to overtime and kept his Indiana Hoosiers in the hunt for college football’s national title — was evidence he might get there some day.
With that one kick, the Mullaghbawn man showed that he has the number one attribute required for high-pressure kicking: an unwavering confidence in his own ability. It takes a certain swagger to step up and deliver when you are attempting something you’ve never tried before.
He told reporters after the game: “The furthest I’ve kicked is from 58,” he said. “We’ve never really touched 60, that’s the forbidden number.”
McAteer’s heroics provide a timely reminder of another Irishman attempting to establish himself in the high-pressure world of kicking, Charlie Smyth.
Once an NFL starter, the Down native now finds himself on the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints, a spot he holds thanks to the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) programme.
Smyth converted 12 of his 16 field goal attempts during the final six games of the 2025 season, but lost out on a starting spot to veteran Daniel Carson in the offseason. And though he’s found himself watching from the sidelines, injury, execution issues, and off-the-field controversies might offer the former GAA man a new opportunity.
Arizona, for example, looked like they might need a new kicker on Sunday night after Chad Ryland missed an extra point that would have secured them a win over the Dallas Cowboys. However, the Cardinals player made up for his mistake in overtime, nailing a 42-yard walk-off field goal.
For anyone not familiar with the intricacies of place kicking in American football, that’s the equivalent of kicking the ball out of play directly from a corner before scoring a penalty. Ryland may still be on borrowed time but, for now, his job appears to be safe.
The same can’t be said for Harrison Butker of Kansas City. Butker, though no stranger to controversy off the field, has been one of the league’s most successful place kickers in recent years. He has an above 80% accuracy percentage from field goals, and is nearly 95% accurate on extra points. Both great statistics.
On Sunday, however, Butker missed a crucial 54-yard field goal against Denver. His tame effort allowed the Broncos to subsequently make a dramatic late goalline stand on their way to a 28-24 victory as the Chiefs were forced to chase a touchdown for victory rather than being able to settle for a field goal.
It was the latest in a string of important misses from Butker, who is now just 12 of 18 this season on field goals, a percentage so bad that Kansas City brought in former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker as competition.
This move sparked considerable debate, not least because Tucker is only available after being released by Baltimore following a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy in relation to allegations of sexual misconduct.
Asked about Tucker, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said the player — who continues to deny the allegations — had served his suspension and that the Chiefs would do what was best for the team. However, the backlash may be so strong that it opens up another opportunity for Smyth to gain a starting job.
Other potential landing spots include the LA Rams. The pre-season Super Bowl favourites are on their third kicker of the season and are considering a two-kicker solution going forward; one for field goals and extra points, one for kick-offs. Given the copycat nature of the league, don’t be surprised if other teams followed suit, particularly if it was successful.
It could even be that Smyth’s next landing spot turns out to be right where he is now. Carson’s grip on the Saints’ starting spot is loose, at best, and on Monday, head coach Kellen Moore indicated that his two kickers would go head-to-head in practice this week before he decides on a starter for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
For Smyth today, and for potential future NFL prospects like McAteer and Derry’s Jack Scullion, it’s always worth remembering that the opportunity for a spot on a team is only ever one kick away.
However, as Smyth knows all too well, the risk of losing your job can be decided by the exact same margin.
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