Rory Beggan: ‘When this option came along, it was a no-brainer — I was hooked’

You’d forgive Rory Beggan for feeling tempted.

Sitting in Croke Park on a Saturday night, the All-Ireland champions in Monaghan’s sight to open up the league, the back-to-school feeling was at its most intoxicating. When the TV cameras zeroed in on Beggan during the warm-up, a few wondered if there was any chance of the tracksuit coming off.

Only Beggan has different — or bigger depending on who you’re talking to — fish to fry. On Thursday, he flies to Florida alongside three other Irish athletes to train for the NFL combine. Turns out kicking Gaelic footballs is not altogether different from the gridiron.

Should Beggan, or any of the others, make it and earn a roster spot, a pay day unheard of for an amateur athlete awaits.

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“When it’s Croke Park everyone wants to play,” says Beggan of last Saturday. “We did the pitch walk, there wasn’t a breeze in sight, it was a perfect night for football. You were thinking, ‘I’d love to have the boots on here, I really would’ but you have to look at the bigger picture at the moment.

“I’ve never had an injury on the football field before and that would be just the time it happened and I’d never forgive myself if I could have an injury and it didn’t need to happen.”

Beggan, alongside Wicklow’s Mark Jackson, Down’s Charlie Smyth and former rugby professional Darragh Leader, train for three weeks near Tampa under the tutelage of Tadhg Leader — Darragh’s brother. They will then be among a group of roughly 30 kickers and punters at the pre-draft combine in Indianapolis. If they impress one of the scouts from the 32 teams, a practice squad spot is on offer for the 2024 season.

For all the excitement behind the opportunity, it means Beggan will miss much of Monaghan’s league campaign, starting with last weekend’s win over Dublin. It makes a change from GAA players heading to Australia, but the opportunity to play a new professional sport has not led to any animosity from the GAA fraternity.

[ Rory Beggan confirmed as one of four Irish athletes to trial for NFL ]

[ Goals win it for Monaghan after madcap second half against Dublin in Croke Park ]

Besides, if it doesn’t go to plan, Monaghan have hardly shut the door. Even if Beggan’s replacement, Darren McDonnell, impressed with a first-half save in Croke Park and — in true Beggan style — notched a point from a free.

“It was great to see Darren get his chance. I don’t know what the future is going to hold for me in terms of two months’ time, but it’s his jersey and whatever happens, happens. If it ends up that I’m back with Monaghan I’ll be wearing number 16 and trying to fight and get that jersey back off him.”

The announcement of Beggan’s involvement in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme (IPP) had to wait due to a run to the Ulster final with his club, Scotstown. It means Beggan hasn’t matched his fellow Irish trialists for volume of footballs [American] kicked.

“I probably am playing a bit of catch-up,” he acknowledges. “The lads are banging them well, but I feel like I’m banging them very well.”

Beggan says his longest field goal to date is 63 yards.

“Once the Glen game finished, I did a couple of days, drowned my sorrows, then I got stuck into the kicking. Since January it’s really ramped up, you can feel the progression every week from repetition, volume and proper coaching.”

Said progression has been rapid, Beggan only becoming aware of the NFL opportunity on September 19th last. Things spiralled from there.

“When this option came along it was a no-brainer. I said I’d go up and try it out. After the first, second, third session I was hooked, thinking this could happen.

“This is where we are now.”

For more information on the International Player Pathway program, visit https://www.nfl.com/international/player-pathway.

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