Jude McAtamney: Taking A Look At The First-Ever Irish-Born Player To Join The New York Giants

Published on October 15, 2024, 4:07 am
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Jude McAtamney, born in Swatragh, County Derry, became the first player from Ireland to play for the New York Giants of the National Football League.

Former GAA youth prodigy Jude McAtamney signed an NFL deal with the New York Giants in May. The former Derry Under-20 player is the most recent Irishman to affiliate with an NFL organization.

McAtamney dedicated two years to collegiate football at Rutgers University in New Jersey after relocating to America in 2021 to pursue his aspiration of joining the NFL.

He is now the third Irish-born athlete to join an NFL team, following Charlie Smyth, a former Down goalie who obtained a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints after attending the recent NFL combine, and Dan Whelan, a punter from Wicklow with the Green Bay Packers.

McAtamney’s Journey to the NFL

The NFL’s worldwide initiatives have emerged as a prominent narrative in this 2023/2024 draft cycle, including players chosen from various nations and selections made by fans from even broader locations.

Coming from Northern Ireland to North Carolina, with a stint in Australia, followed by a visit to Rutgers University and finally New York, is unprecedented, though, even in the era of the NFL going global.

However, this would be the golden route for Jude McAtamney. The Irish man, an Ulster Under-20 champion with Derry six years back, embarked on a journey into American football after observing a fellow countryman join the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

The resolution, albeit a long road to the NFL, involved Prokick Australia head coaches Nathan Chapman and John Smith arranging a chance with Division II Chowan University in North Carolina for the 2021 season. This allowed for reassessment following the inaugural year of college football during a visit to Australia.

After a solitary season in North Carolina, McAtamney pledged his commitment to Rutgers, transitioning from the Australian coastline to the colder Northeast U.S. The competition intensified, and the significance of a Division I program became instantly evident.

Following a pair of seasons with the Scarlet Knights, the latter of which involved primarily serving as a kickoff specialist after relinquishing the starting place-kicking position, McAtamney seized the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities at the Rutgers pro day; lacking any scheduled team visits, he needed to capitalize on this chance before NFL scouts.

McAtamney Signs with the Giants

Competing directly with other candidates at the Giants’ local pro day benefited him, and McAtamney saw a growing connection with the organization during a robust kick-off workout. And then, I guess you could say the rest was history.

While no commitments were established, the Giants communicated with the Rutgers alumnus, ensuring he felt “welcomed,” particularly given the international players currently on their special team’s roster, including veterans Jamie Gilan and Graham Gano.

Despite doing pre-draft meetings with the New York Giants and Jets, Irishman McAtamney opted not to declare for this year’s NFL draft, therefore remaining available to evaluate offers from any club. In May 2024, his association with the Giants flourished when he joined as a free agent, enabling him to vie for the team’s kicking position, now occupied by veteran Graham Gano.

NY Giants Super Bowl Odds

As of October 9, the New York Giants Super Bowl odds of +10000 rank them 24th in the NFL, even when you claim sports betting promos here.

The Giants triumphed against the Seattle Seahawks 29-20 in their last game. Daniel Jones recorded 257 yards, completing 23 of 34 passes (67.6%), with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He additionally rushed the ball 11 times for 38 yards. Tyrone Tracy Jr. accumulated 129 running yards on 18 attempts, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He recorded one reception for one yard. Darius Slayton recorded eight catches for 122 yards, averaging 15.3 yards per grab, and scored one touchdown.

It’s clear that championship aspirations might not be on Brian Daboll’s mind, but rookies like McAtamney could make all the difference in building a brighter future.

McAtamney NY Giants Debut

McAtamney debuted for the NFL’s New York Giants in a preseason victory over the Detroit Lions.

The Swatragh-born former U20 Derry standout signed with the blue faction of New York following his impressive performance at Rutgers University.

McAtamney successfully executed a point-after-touchdown and maintained an average of 62.5 yards per kickoff. That evening, he split kicking responsibilities with experienced veteran Graham Gano, who is now injured. 

While McAtamney hasn’t made his regular season rookie debut or been promoted to the active list as of yet, a significant confrontation for Irish NFL/GAA enthusiasts will occur in week 15, featuring the Giants vs the New Orleans Saints, where former Oakleafer McAtamney will face Down’s Charlie Smyth. Perhaps this will be a great moment for the Giants to test their rookie, but of course, it’ll depend on their playoff chances at the time and whether or not this fixture is a throwaway game or an important one.

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Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com

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