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Charlie Smyth kicked a 47-yard field goal with six seconds left on the clock to give the New Orleans Saints a 20-17 win over division rivals the Carolina Panthers.
The former Gaelic footballer from Mayobridge in County Down was making his third career start at the Superdome and also kicked a 42-yarder as well two extra points in the win.
The Saints had trailed 17-7 in the third quarter but Smyth’s first field goal of the game brought them back within a score.
Chris Olave’s touchdown grab then gave Smyth the opportunity to tie the game with the 24-year-old duly adding the extra point to make it 17-17 with two minutes and eight seconds remaining.
The Panthers could only manage one first down on their next drive to give the Saints the ball back and the chance for a second straight win.
Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough led New Orleans into position with the Saints’ cause aided by a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty called on the Panthers’ Lathan Ransom.
Smyth’s kick then gave the side their fourth win of the season and second in succession after last week’s victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Smyth is only the third placekicker from the island of Ireland to feature in a regular NFL game, after Neil O’Donoghue between 1977 and 1985 and Jude McAtamney in each of the past two seasons.
The former Down goalkeeper had been a member of Saints’ practice squad as part of the NFL’s international player pathway programme after signing his first contract in March 2024.
Across his three-game NFL career, he has made four of his five field goal tries with a longest effort of 56 yards and has been successful on every one of his PAT (point-after-touchdown) attempts.
The Saints next play against the New York Jets in New Orleans on Sunday, 21 December (18:00 GMT).
After three practice squad elevations already this season, NFL rules state Smyth would need to be signed to the 53-man roster in order to feature against the Jets.
