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On Sunday, a new name was added to the list of NFL players who were born on the Emerald Isle when Charles Smyth made his debut with the Saints. There was a packed house in a pub in the tiny town in Northern Ireland where he was born and raised, and he gave them an excuse to go nuts (and get some free drinks) after drilling his first field goal.
There have been close to a dozen players from the nation of Ireland who’ve appeared in at least one NFL game since Birtie Maher, a native of County Mayo, became the first to do so with the Detroit Heralds all the way back in 1920.
However, as far as I can tell, no one from Northern Ireland had ever trotted onto the field for a single snap before the Saints tasked Charlie Smyth to serve as their kicker when they headed to Miami to face off against the Saints on Sunday.
Smyth was born and raised in Mayobridge, a tiny village in County Down with a population of around 1,000 people located around 15 miles away from the Irish border. A significant chunk of its residents headed to the local pub to watch him make his debut, and we were treated to some amazing scenes as they cheered him on.
A pub in Charles Smyth’s hometown in Northern Ireland was buzzing during his NFL debut with the Saints
The NFL has used its International Player Pathway to foster the talents of guys who hail from outside the United States, and Charlie Smyth used it to his advantage after making it his mission to earn a spot in the league a couple of years ago.
Smyth knew a thing or two about kicking from his time as a Gaelic football goalkeeper, and those skills translated to the point where he was invited to the NFL combine in 2024. He landed a contract with the Saints that year and started the current season on the practice squad before New Orleans promoted him to the starting job ahead of their showdown with the Dolphins on Sunday.
His parents and two sisters booked last-minute tickets to Miami to watch him make his debut in person after learning he’d be playing on Friday, and there was a slew of supporters back in Mayobridge who packed into Laverty’s Bar ahead of kickoff at 7 P.M. local time.
The owner of the bar promised the approximately 90 patrons who gathered there they’d get a free pint in Smyth scored, and while it took him until the fourth quarter to get the opportunity, they were able to cash in on that offer after he split the uprights with a 56-yard field goal on his first-ever attempt in an NFL game.
Saints kicker Charlie Smyth’s hometown in Ireland went crazy after he bombed a 56-yard FG in his NFL debut 🇮🇪
(🎥 via @NFLonFOX, @McQuaidNFL) pic.twitter.com/UDFN1gZxIm
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) December 1, 2025
He was subsequently able to give the Saints some hope by successfully executing an onside kick after they narrowed their deficit to four points with around 1:15 left in the contest, but New Orleans was unable to take advantage while falling to 2-10 with the 21-17 loss.
This is getting crazy.
CHARLIE SMYTH and an onside kick?
No problem.
Mayobridge is going MENTAL. pic.twitter.com/pVWNNBFtqU
— Michael McQuaid (@McQuaidNFL) November 30, 2025
However, all signs point to fans getting an excuse to head back to the pub when the Saints face off against the Buccaneers next weekend, as all signs point to Smyth having the job moving forward.