McAtamney makes Giants NFL debut after GAA switch

Former Derry Under-20 GAA player Jude McAtamney made his NFL debut for the New York Giants in their 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

The 24-year-old from Swatragh was successful on both of his kick attempts, coming into the game for the first time with 12 minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter to add the extra point following Daniel Jones' touchdown throw to Chris Manhertz.

He would later strike a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter but, playing from behind, the 2-7 Giants would go for two-point conversions rather than attempt a kick after their next two touchdowns, failing to get into the end zone both times.

Prior to Sunday, McAtamney had spent the season on the Giants' practice squad, utilising the extra spot created by the International Player Pathway [IPP], but was elevated to the active roster for the week nine clash after previous kicker Greg Joseph was ruled out with an abdomen injury.

McAtamney is the first placekicker from Ireland to feature in a regular season NFL game since Dubliner Neil O'Donoghue represented the St Louis Cardinals during the 1985 season.

Dan Whelan, born in County Wicklow, has been the starting punter for the Green Bay Packers since the beginning of last season.

McAtamney took up kicking during the Covid-19 pandemic having been inspired by the news that David Shanahan from Kerry would be playing in the college game for Georgia Tech.

He made sufficiently quick progress to be offered a scholarship to study at Chowan University in North Carolina in 2021, before transferring to Rutgers a year later then signing with the Giants as an undrafted free agent this spring.

He impressed in the Giants' final pre-season game against the New York Jets, kicking two field goals from 23 and 43 yards, but lost out in the race for the starter's berth Graham Gano.

The Scottish-born Gano, 37, injured his hamstring in the Giants' first meeting with the Commanders in September, but McAtamney had not yet been elevated to the active roster.

Left without a kicker after the opening kick-off, the Giants lost that game 21-18 with all the Commanders' points coming from field goals.

In response, the organisation brought in free agent kicker Joseph, with the former Minnesota Viking making 13 of his 16 field goals and all six attempted points after touchdowns [PATs] since.

Having been placed on injured reserve, Joseph is not able to feature in a game until the Giants host the New Orleans Saints on 8 December.