For some reason, it has always been incredibly difficult for teams around the NFL to find a reliable kicker.
Given the massive popularity of soccer around the world, one might think it would be easier for teams in the league to find a talented kicker, but this hasn’t really ever been the case during the history of the NFL.
In an effort to potentially find their next longtime answer at kicker, the New Orleans Saints recently agreed to a contract with kicker Charlie Smyth, who is a 22-year-old native of Ireland, per Paul Sheehy on Twitter.
CONGRATULATIONS to Ireland’s own @csmyth2601 on signing with the @Saints! Team effort with @TadhgLeader @James07Cook @NFL IPP. A big step in the journey for the @officialDownGAA goalkeeper! #WhoDat pic.twitter.com/bGIXmfVUGu
— Paul Sheehy (@ProStarSports) March 29, 2024
It will certainly be interesting to see how Smyth transitions from kicking a soccer ball for a living to kicking an American football.
If he succeeds, it will be impressive, but it also won’t be the first time a former soccer player successfully transformed into a reliable NFL kicker.
Just last season, Brandon Aubrey, a former Major League Soccer player, managed to earn a First-Team All-Pro selection in his very first season as the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys.
Aubrey wasn’t the first NFL kicker to have a previous career as a professional soccer player, and he won’t be the last.
The Saints already had a kicker on their current roster in Blake Grupe, but they clearly feel Smyth has the potential to develop into something special.
Will Smyth end up figuring out what it takes to be a successful kicker in the NFL, or will his attempt fall short?
The post Saints Are Signing A New Kicker With Unique Journey appeared first on The Cold Wire.