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Irish NFL kicker Charlie Smyth praised for 'phenomenal' field goal in New Orleans Saints debut
Irish NFL kicker Charlie Smyth waited a long time for his shot at NFL action, and when the New Orleans Saints finally turned to him, he delivered a moment that echoed all the way back home.
In his regular-season debut, broadcast live on DAZN, the Mayobridge man drilled a 56-yard field goal in Miami - his very first attempt in the NFL - during New Orleans’ narrow 21-17 loss to the Dolphins.
The performance was the latest in an incredible journey for the youngster, who signed a three-year deal with the Saints in March 2024 after participating in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
Here's how it all went down, and what Smyth, head coach Kellen Moore, and the Irish fans thought of his performance.
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Smyth spent the entirety of last year's campaign on the team's practice squad, was released and re-signed within 24 hours during the August roster shuffle, then locked into a reserve/future contract in January of this year.
On Saturday, after former Saints kicker Blake Grupe was waived, Smyth got the call every player on the fringes of the roster waits for: your time is now. You're up.
Elevated from the practice squad, and entering the fourth quarter, Smyth stepped into the biggest kick of his life from 56 yards out.
For context, former kicker Grupe had managed only three of six from 50 yards out, so the pressure was on for the youngster to deliver where his predecessor had failed.
Successfully converting the kick was the kind of moment that defines careers - a point not lost on head coach Kellen Moore.
"Big-time field goal," Moore said. "Charlie's earned this opportunity. We have a lot of confidence in him. He's worked at this thing for a number of years now.
"That was a challenging situation, but it was a situation we needed to get some points there, and he drilled it, and it was a phenomenal kick by him."
The reaction back home was electric.
Smyth's late-game heroics weren't over quite yet. With the Saints trying to claw their way back into the game, the Irishman was tasked with an onside kick - a play rarely successful in today's game.
Once again, the 24-year-old executed his duties to perfection, giving New Orleans a chance at a remarkable comeback.
Again, Moore came away impressed: "The onside kick obviously was really well-kicked. Phenomenal kick there and put us in a position to have a chance at the end."
Smyth said he was "delighted" post-game.
Ultimately, the Saints were unable to capitalise, slipping to their 10th defeat of the season. But the loss didn't dull the moment for Smyth, who not only made his debut but firmly established himself on the NFL scene with his phenomenal debut.
