Jude McAtamney Makes New York Giants NFL Debut After GAA Transition

Jude McAtamney, a former Derry Under-20 GAA player, made his National Football League debut for the New York Giants during their 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The 24-year-old from Swatragh successfully converted both of his kick attempts. He first entered the game with 12 minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter to add an extra point following Daniel Jones’ touchdown pass to Chris Manhertz. Later, in the third quarter, he kicked a 31-yard field goal. However, with the 2-7 Giants trailing, they opted for two-point conversions instead of kick attempts after their subsequent two touchdowns, failing to reach the end zone on both occasions. Before Sunday, McAtamney had spent the season on the Giants’ practice squad, utilizing the additional roster spot created by the International Player Pathway [IPP]. He was elevated to the active roster for the week nine matchup after the team’s previous kicker, Greg Joseph, was ruled out due to an abdomen injury. McAtamney is the first placekicker from Ireland to participate in a regular season NFL game since Dubliner Neil O’Donoghue played for the St Louis Cardinals during the 1985 season. Separately, Dan Whelan, born in County Wicklow, has been the starting punter for the Green Bay Packers since the beginning of last season. McAtamney started kicking during the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the news that David Shanahan from Kerry would be playing college football for Georgia Tech. His rapid progress led to a scholarship offer to study at Chowan University in North Carolina in 2021. He then transferred to Rutgers a year later before signing with the Giants as an undrafted free agent this spring. He performed well in the Giants’ final pre-season game against the New York Jets, converting two field goals from 23 and 43 yards, but ultimately lost the competition for the starter’s position to Graham Gano. The Scottish-born Gano, 37, sustained a hamstring injury during the Giants’ first encounter with the Commanders in September, but McAtamney had not yet been promoted to the active roster at that time. Left without a kicker after the opening kick-off, the Giants lost that game 21-18, with all of the Commanders’ points coming from field goals. In response, the organization brought in free agent kicker Joseph, a former Minnesota Viking, who has since successfully made 13 of his 16 field goals and all six attempted points after touchdowns [PATs]. Joseph, having been placed on injured reserve, is ineligible to feature in a game until the Giants host the New Orleans Saints on 8 December.