Former Derry underage footballer Jude McAtamney has signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants.
McAtamney, who won an Ulster U-20 title with his native county in 2018, becomes the latest Irish-born kicker to come to terms with an NFL franchise after Charlie Smyth signed with the New Orleans Saints last month.
The Swatragh native spent the previous two years playing for Rutgers University in New Jersey having first moved to America in 2021.
After training with Prokick, an Australian organisation which recruits AFL players to become NFL kickers and punters, McAtamney earned a scholarship to Chowan University in North Carolina. He played there for one season before committing to Rutgers, a NCAA Division One programme, in 2022.
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McAtamney held a pre-draft visit with both the Giants and the Jets but did not declare for the weekend’s NFL draft - the annual selection process for college players - instead opting to go through the free agency process.
As the starting kicker for the Scarlet Knights in 2022, McAtamney had a 67 per cent success rate, making 12 field goals from 18 attempts. He was successful with 23 of his 24 attempted extra points that year. In 2023, McAtamney lost his job as Rutgers’ starting kicker but nonetheless has progressed to an NFL training camp.
Last season, the Giants had significant injury problems at kicker as both Graham Gano (knee) and Randy Bullock (hamstring) were placed on injured reserve. The franchise had to sign veteran Graham Gano for the final three games of the season.
McAtamney will spend the summer months competing to be named the Giants’ starting kicker ahead of the 2024 season.
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