Previously a Derry underage footballer, Jude McAtamney has recently been recruited by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. Having won an Ulster U-20 title with his home county in 2018, McAtamney follows in the footsteps of Irish-born kicker, Charlie Smyth, who joined the New Orleans Saints as part of an NFL franchise the previous month.
Hailing from Swatragh, McAtamney spent two years competing at Rutgers University in New Jersey after moving to the US in 2021. His time with Prokick, an Australian company specialised in fostering AFL players into NFL kickers and punters, led him to a scholarship at North Carolina’s Chowan University. Following a single season there, McAtamney committed to Rutgers, an NCAA Division One establishment, in 2022.
Prior to the player draft, McAtamney visited both the Giants and the Jets, although he opted against registering for the annual college player selection event, the NFL draft. He chose to explore opportunities through the free agency procedure.
As the Scarlet Knights’ initial kicker in 2022, McAtamney demonstrated a 67% performance rate, achieving 12 field goals out of 18 attempts. He also successfully completed 23 out of 24 extra points. Despite losing his starting kicker position at Rutgers in 2023, he has earned a spot at an NFL training camp.
In the last season, the Giants faced notable injuries to their kickers, with both Graham Gano and Randy Bullock scheduled on injured reserve due to knee and hamstring injuries respectively. Subsequently, the Giants enlisted the services of veteran Graham Gano for the season’s closing three matches.
McAtamney will dedicate the summer working to secure the position as the Giants’ starting kicker for the 2024 campaign.