Who is the Giants’ kicker? Graham Gano, Greg Joseph injuries force Jude McAtamney into lineup vs. Commanders | Sporting News United Kingdom

The Commanders and Giants enter Sunday’s matchup four games apart, but all that separated the two in Week 2 was a functional kicker.

After an injury knocked Graham Gano out of the early-season matchup, the Giants were forced to avoid field goals and attempt two-point conversions each time they scored a touchdown. The result was a 21-18 loss despite New York scoring three touchdowns to Washington’s zero.

The Commanders kicked a whopping seven field goals, adding insult to injury for the Giants. In Week 9, underdog New York is hoping to avoid a similar fate as it continues to fight through kicker injuries.

Here’s what you need to know about new Giants kicker Jude McAtamney and his unconventional background.

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Who is the Giants’ kicker?

The Giants’ kicker in Week 9 is Jude McAtamney, a Northern Ireland-born 24-year-old who started his football career at the Division II level. He replaces Greg Joseph, who suffered an abdominal injury after filling in for the injured Gano. 

McAtamney’s story is fascinating, as he first became interested in American football in 2020 and decided to follow in the footsteps of another Irish player by learning to punt. After initially teaching himself how to kick, McAtamney trained with more experienced punters and landed a kicking role at Division II Chowan University in 2021.

McAtamney transferred to Rutgers and served as the Scarlet Knights’ kicker in 2022, but he was relegated to kickoffs in 2023. 

The Giants gave McAtamney a chance through the International Player Pathway program and added him to their practice squad after making both of his field goal attempts in the preseason. While he didn’t get the call in Week 2 despite Gano dealing with an injury leading up to the game, McAtamney will get his shot in Week 9 following an injury to Joseph. 

Where did Jude McAtamney go to college?

Despite growing up in Northern Ireland, McAtamney attended college in the U.S. 

The 24-year-old started out at Division II Chowan University in North Carolina and impressed enough to transfer to Rutgers. While he was only a kickoff specialist in 2023, McAtamney spent the final two seasons of his college career at Rutgers.

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Jude McAtamney Gaelic football career

McAtamney was only 20 when he first began teaching himself how to kick, so he didn’t come over to the NFL after an extended professional career in a different sport like many in the International Player Pathway do, but he did play Gaelic football before switching sports.

McAtamney played for Derry GAA’s under-20 club in the late 2010s, serving as a free taker and helping Derry win the Ulster U20 Football Championship in 2018. 

Rather than continue pursuing Gaelic football, McAtamney was inspired to try his hand at American football and will join an exclusive group of U.K.-born NFL players when he kicks for the Giants on Sunday.