Former Derry under-20 footballer Jude McAtamney could make his NFL debut for the New York Giants this weekend.
McAtamney, an Ulster under-20 winner in 2018, has the potential to get elevated to starting kicker for the Giants after the player holding down that position, Graham Gano, suffered a hamstring injury in the opening stages of last weekend’s defeat to the Washington Commanders.
On that occasion, with 24-year-old McAtamney not on the active list, the Giants had to call upon punter Jamie Gillan to deputise as kicker. However, with Gano expected to be sidelined for several weeks, the Giants now have to decide whether to promote rookie McAtamney to the starting roster this weekend or bring in a free agent. Reports Stateside indicate the Giants have already looked at four different kickers: Zane Gonzalez, Riley Patterson, Tanner Brown and Randy Bullock.
Speaking to the media in New York on Monday, Giants coach Brian Daboll was asked about his plans for starting kicker against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
“We’ll work guys out and Jude has been with us, so we’ll make a decision off of the workout, based on how they do in the workout, and then Jude,” he said.
The Giants opted not to bring in McAtamney, who did get game time in preseason, from the practice squad last Sunday, despite Gano entering the fixture against the Commanders with an injury concern.
McAtamney’s journey to the NFL is different from those taken by Dan Whelan (Green Bay Packers) and Charlie Smyth (New Orleans Saints).
The Swatragh native contacted David Shanahan (Georgia Tech) to see if the Kerry man could help him get in touch with Prokick, the Australian organisation specialising in training players (mostly AFL) to become NFL kickers and punters, and in 2021 McAtamney earned a scholarship to Chowan University in North Carolina.
After one season in Carolina, he joined Rutgers University in New Jersey where he played for two campaigns before impressing on a pro day where NFL scouts, including those from the Giants, were in attendance.
In April, the Giants signed McAtamney through the NFL’s International Player Pathway programme.
