Northern Irish Kicker Smyth Debuts with 56-Yard FG in Saints Loss

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. Charlie Smyth, a 24-year-old kicker from Northern Ireland, made his NFL regular-season debut with a 56-yard field goal and a successful onside kick Sunday, helping the New Orleans Saints mount a late comeback in a 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.

The Saints, now 2-10 on the season, trailed 16-0 at halftime after a dominant first half by the Dolphins. New Orleans scored on its opening drive of the second half to cut the deficit, then turned to Smyth with 6:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. Positioned at the Miami 37-yard line, Smyth drilled the long field goal straight through the uprights, bringing the score to 19-11. It marked the first points scored by the Northern Ireland native in a regular-season game.

Smyth, a former Gaelic football player from Mayobridge in County Down, joined the Saints in 2024 through the NFL's International Player Pathway program. He had impressed in preseason action this summer, converting all four of his field-goal attempts, including two from beyond 50 yards. The team sent him to Dallas during the season to train with a placekicking specialist, honing his skills on the NFL ball. Saints special teams...