Derryman Jude McAtamney has taken another step forward in his NFL career after being signed to the New York Giants' 53-man roster.
The former Derry Under-20 Gaelic footballer won an Ulster title in 2020 before moving to the United States to play with Rutgers University. He joined the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in April 2024.
The 25-year-old has been on the team's practice squad as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Programme.
Last month, after being brought up from the practice squad due to an injury to Graham Gano, he produced a perfect kicking performance as the Giants beat the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers 21-18 at MetLife Stadium.
In the NFL, teams start pre-season with a pool of up to 90 players, but must cut that down to 53 for the start of the season. They can also have an additional practice squad with a maximum of 16 players (17 if a team has a player from the International Player Pathway Programme on their roster).
McAtamney featured in Thursday's win against the Philadelphia Eagles in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo accounted for a combined five touchdowns, powering the Giants to a 34-17 victory.
The Giants (2-4) snapped a 10-game losing streak in Thursday games and ended an eight-game skid in NFC East play.
Skattebo ran for three touchdowns, and Dart had a touchdown pass and a touchdown run in his first division start.
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (4-2) have dropped two in a row for their first losing streak since the end of the 2023 season.
Additional reporting: Reuters
