All active Irish NFL players following Giants decision to cut Jude McAtanmey

The Emerald Isle is beginning to play a bigger role in American football and there are two Irish players currently in the NFL.

Following the emphatic success of the recent Croke Park contest that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings, America’s game is taking over the Irish sports scene.

The question of will there be another NFL Dublin Game in 2026 is likely to be answered with ‘yes’ in the near future and the Kansas City Chiefs have already expressed interest in coming over.

Irishmen are starting to pop up in the league following the creation of the International Player Pathway Programme in 2017, which aims to provide elite athletes with the opportunity to compete at the NFL level.

The program includes international combines for evaluation, a ten-week training camp and opportunities to join practice squads.

To help it grow, the NFL has awarded teams with an extra international practice squad spot and it has been especially popular with former Gaelic footballers – able to transfer their skills to kicking and punting in American football.

Who are the active Irish players in the NFL?

Daniel Whelan (punter) – Green Bay Packers

Daniel Whelan, 26, was born in Enniskerry, County Wicklow but moved to the United States at the age of 13 – settling in California.

He started off playing soccer before switching to American football as a junior at Rancho Mirage High School. Whelan committed to play college football for the UC Davis Aggies and entered the NCAA system in 2017.

His breakout year came in 2021, punting 17 times for 815 yards – a Big Sky Conference-leading 47.9-yard average – earning four first-team All-American selections, a first-team all-conference selection and being named a finalist for the FCS Punter of the Year Award.

Whelan finished his stint at UC Davis with the all-time record for punting average at 44.01 yards. He went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft before initially joining the New Orleans Saints.

He was later waived by the Saints and it took until May 2023 for another NFL team to give him a chance, this time the Green Bay Packers following a successful spell in the XFL.

Whelan won the Packers’ punting job in the offseason and made his NFL debut on 10 September 2023 against the Chicago Bears, becoming the first Irish-born NFL player since the retirement of Neil O’Donoghue in 1985.

Whelan has impressed ever since in his role and in September 2025, he signed a two-year $7 million contract extension with the team.

Jude McAtanmey (place-kicker) – New York Giants

Technically no longer a member of the New York Giants, Jude McAtanmey is a popular name in the NFL world at the minute.

After being promoted to the Giants’ active roster in late September, McAtanmey’s NFL dream came and went pretty quickly after he was cut by the team following a disastrous performance on the road against the Denver Broncos on October 19.

The Derry-born kicker missed two crucial extra point attempts in the 33-32 loss to Denver and also missed an extra point the previous week in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

He could still return to the Giants’ practice squad under international exemption through the IPP. McAtanmey received a scholarship to play college football for the Chowan Hawks in NCAA’s Division II program back in 2021.

He impressed at his pro day when invited to try out by the Giants ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, successful in all ten of his attempted kicks in front of scouts. McAtanmey is unlikely to have a future in the NFL going forward but stranger things have happened.

Charlie Smyth (place-kicker) – New Orleans Saints

In January 2024, Charlie Smyth began training to play in the NFL via the IPP and in the NFL Scouting Combine he connected on 12 of his 17 field goal attempts.

At his pro-day, Smyth made eight of ten field goals including one from 60 yards and in March of that year he signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints – becoming the first GAA player to sign an NFL contract.

Smyth first came to prominence in GAA as the goalkeeper for Down’s Ulster Under-20 Championship-winning team in 2020 – scoring in every game of the campaign that ended at the All-Ireland semi-final stage.

Smyth made his first appearance for the Saints in the 2024 pre-season and even kicked the winning field goal against the Arizona Cardinals on his debut.

He continues to wait in the wings for a real opportunity on an active roster.

Mark McNamee (place-kicker) – Green Bay Packers

26-year-old Mark McNamee from Dublin is another who is technically no longer an active NFL player as just last week the Green Bay Packers released him from the practice squad.

He started out as a goalkeeper in Gaelic football for Ballyboden St Enda’s in the Irish capital before joining the IPP scheme in February 2025.

That month he took part in the NFL Combine where he was successful in 13 of his 14 field goal attempts. McNamee went undrafted but was selected in the second round by the BC Lions in the 2025 CFL (Canadian Football League) global draft.

He was released by the Lions despite converting both of his field goal attempts on the field and an NFL opportunity arose in July 2025 when the Packers’ Alex Hale sustained an injury.

McNamee signed with Green Bay, replacing Hale as the team’s IPP roster exemption. He was cut from the final 53-man roster on August 26 before being re-signed to the practice squad a day later.

He kicked in one pre-season game for the Packers, making one of two field goals in a 23-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts.