From Gaelic soccer to NFL hero! Saints kicker Charlie Smyth on whirlwind New Orleans rise after game-winning area aim vs Panthers

In the midst of a dark season of rebuilding for the New Orleans Saints, kicker Charlie Smyth has emerged as a beacon of light.

The pride of County Down in Northern Ireland, Smyth worked his way up through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) and into the league.

Smyth, who previously played as a Gaelic footballer for club side Mayobridge before eventually making a 2023 debut with the Down county football team, spent years grinding away to earn himself a spot on an NFL roster.

At the end of November, after fighting through the practice squad, Smyth was elevated to the active roster and made his NFL debut. 

Last week, Smyth knocked through a 47-yard game-winning field goal to beat the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers – reaching the peak of his career so far.

In the locker room afterward, Smyth received a game ball and broke the team down as they all chanted his name before the team went off to celebrate their fourth win of the season.

Irishman Charlie Smyth has been a revelation for a rebuilding New Orleans Saints team

After months of training and working his way through the practice squad, Smyth broke into the Saints’ active roster this year – making his debut with the team in November

It all led to this past week: when Smyth knocked through a game-winning field goal

‘It was a really cool moment,’ Smyth said, reflecting on the biggest moment of his career so far. ‘You see that around the league, the head coaches breaking the teams down. You always see whatever position it is or whatever player it is, getting the last game ball and they get to break the team down. 

‘I always imagine it would be pretty cool to be in that situation, right? But yeah, I just wanted to make sure that in that moment that I’m giving credit to all my teammates as well, because it’s not just the kick… it’s a whole team effort. Because everybody else did their job, then that allowed me to go out and hit the kick.’

After his third game and his first game-winner, there are few cities better in the country to go out and celebrate than New Orleans. But Smyth opted for something more subtle.

‘You might think that back home, we go to the pub and we’ll drown ourselves in beer or whatever,’ Smyth joked. But instead, ‘I just went and got some pizzas with my mom, sister, and girlfriend, and we had a few beers as well. Just went back to my apartment, just chilled, but just really soaking it in. 

‘I was glad we were able to just… The four of us together. I wish my dad could have been there as well, but he’s tied up with work at the minute. It was just a really cool evening and just glad to get to celebrate with those you’re closest to.’

In that time since, Smyth has been able to relive the final moments leading up to the game-winning kick in his head. 

‘I remember it was maybe three or four minutes left in the fourth quarter,’ he recalled. 

‘And I was just talking to our snapper, Zach Wood, and Kai Kroeger, he’s our punter and also holds the field goals. … I said, “I have a feeling we’re going to have a game winning opportunity here”. And I just started laughing to Zach and Kai. 

Smyth has heaped praise on his teammates: ‘Everybody else did their job, then that allowed me to go out and hit the kick’

The County Down native and former Gaelic footballer has no fear in front of 70,000 people

‘I was like, “This is what we want, isn’t it?” I just remember smiling as [Saints quarterback Tyler Shough] was driving up the field with the offense. And I just felt like I was for whatever opportunity that was going to arise. … It’s what you come over here to do, right? You come over here and try and help your team. 

‘But it’s those moments where you’re sleeping at night and you’re thinking, Wouldn’t it be cool to have a game winning attempt? And thankfully, we got the opportunity on Sunday.’

While Smyth’s story is inspiring, it also comes with some degree of peril. Kickers in the NFL are being given a shorter and shorter leash as the years progress and many teams have started multiple players at that position this year.

The Giants, for example, have used three kickers – including one of Smyth’s countrymen, Jude McAtamney – and have yet to settle on one.

But Smyth is unflappable: ‘I wasn’t thinking, “Oh, there’s 70,000 people here. What if I miss?” It’s not like that. It’s just go out and just own what you’ve been doing and trying to just make the most any moment you got.’