Aaron Sexton to Depart Ulster for NFL Career Pursuit

Ulster wing Aaron Sexton, who scored a single try across 10 appearances for the team, is departing the province to pursue a career in the National Football League (NFL). The 24-year-old athlete, previously a promising schoolboy sprinter, joined Ulster’s academy subsequent to narrowly missing a medal in the 200m final at the 2019 European Under-20 Championships. His senior debut for the province occurred in 2020, coming off the bench against Edinburgh, and he has registered one score in his 10 total appearances. By choosing to depart rugby in pursuit of a position within the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP), he intends to emulate Welsh international Louis Rees-Zammit. Rees-Zammit, a former winger for Gloucester, declared in January his intention to step away from rugby to participate in a 10-week intensive program designed to acquire the necessary skills for success in the NFL. The 23-year-old Zammit advanced through the pathway, securing a place on the practice squad of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and has subsequently moved to the Jacksonville Jaguars, though he has not yet participated in a competitive game. The IPP has also garnered significant interest among Gaelic footballers. This year, goalkeepers Rory Beggan, Mark Jackson, and Charlie Smyth all participated in the program, with Smyth ultimately securing a spot on the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints for the 2024 season. Jude McAtamney, a former Derry Under-20 player, pursued an alternative route, playing college football for Rutgers prior to joining the New York Giants. This month, he was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for his team’s regular season match against the Washington Commanders, where he successfully kicked a field goal and an extra point during their 27-22 defeat. Ulster Rugby chose not to provide a comment regarding Sexton’s departure.