How Ireland's Charlie Smyth turned his NFL dream into a reality with the Saints

SmashMouth · 04-02-2024, 08:30 PM

Like plenty of football fans, Charlie Smyth would keep tabs on what was happening around the league through the NFL RedZone channel.

Unlike many fans of the American game, he was doing so in the wee hours of the morning in northeastern Ireland. And as he watched, paying close attention to those who were kicking the ball, he entertained a thought that might not have crossed the minds of most casual fans.

I can do this.

There was just a bit of a hitch in this idea. The NFL wasn’t exactly kicking down Europe’s door in its search for talent, and at that point, his home nation hadn’t produced an NFL player since Dublin native Neil O’Donoghue retired after the 1985 season (a barrier that was broken last season by former New Orleans Saints undrafted free agent Daniel Whelan with the Green Bay Packers).

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04-02-2024, 08:30 PM	#1
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 37,186 Blog Entries: 29	How Ireland's Charlie Smyth turned his NFL dream into a reality with the Saints Like plenty of football fans, Charlie Smyth would keep tabs on what was happening around the league through the NFL RedZone channel. Unlike many fans of the American game, he was doing so in the wee hours of the morning in northeastern Ireland. And as he watched, paying close attention to those who were kicking the ball, he entertained a thought that might not have crossed the minds of most casual fans. I can do this. There was just a bit of a hitch in this idea. The NFL wasn’t exactly kicking down Europe’s door in its search for talent, and at that point, his home nation hadn’t produced an NFL player since Dublin native Neil O’Donoghue retired after the 1985 season (a barrier that was broken last season by former New Orleans Saints undrafted free agent Daniel Whelan with the Green Bay Packers). more on NOLA Attached Thumbnails