The New Orleans Saints made a roster move on Friday, placing wide receiver Devaughn Vele on injured reserve and elevating kicker Charlie Smyth to the active roster. And while the IR designation for Vele is a hit to the receiver depth chart, the spotlight here belongs to Smyth-a name that’s quietly making NFL history.
Smyth, 24, hails from Newry, Ireland, and comes to the league with a background that’s anything but traditional for an NFL kicker. He was a goalkeeper for Down GAA in the Gaelic Athletic Association, a sport that demands precision, poise, and power-traits that have translated surprisingly well to the gridiron.
Smyth isn’t just another international prospect trying to find a foothold in the league. He’s the first player from Gaelic football to break into the NFL ranks, and part of a growing wave of Irish athletes exploring American football through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
He’s joined in that initiative by Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan, Wicklow’s Mark Jackson, and former rugby standout Darragh Leader. But Smyth is the one who’s already turning opportunity into production.
The Saints initially signed him last year, and since then, he’s bounced on and off the roster as the team evaluated his development. But in 2025, he’s started to show why they’ve kept him around.
Through three appearances this season, Smyth has connected on 4 of 5 field goal attempts and has gone a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points. That’s not just solid-it’s steady, especially for a kicker still adjusting to the nuances of NFL pressure and timing.
For New Orleans, a team that’s had its fair share of special teams ups and downs in recent years, Smyth’s emergence is more than just a feel-good international story. It’s a potential answer at a position where consistency is everything. And for Smyth, it’s a testament to how far raw talent and relentless work can take you-even from a Gaelic pitch in Ireland to the bright lights of the NFL.
As the season rolls on, Smyth will get more chances to prove he belongs. And if his early numbers are any indication, he’s not just here to make history-he’s here to stick.