Donald Trump is trying to withdraw from the world with his ‘America First’ strategy.
He’s pursuing illegal immigrants, threatening his neighbours and friends, and taxing their imports.
Decades of globalism and free trade may be ending, but the sport most closely associated with the Republican party has chosen this moment to go international.
Every sport is seeking world domination (other than soccer which already has it) and American Football has long dreamed of breaking into foreign markets.
The first college game took place in Dublin in 1988 and has been followed by pre-season matchups.
The NFL will play its first regular season game in Croke Park later this year and it hopes the International Pathway Programme’s aim of bringing foreign-born players to their teams will increase the eyeballs from outside the US.
Punt: The Irish and the NFL follows Galway’s Tadhg Leader who has made a business out of talent spotting in Ireland with the IPP in mind.
Ireland it seems – although this is insufficiently explained – has a special talent for kicking a ball.
There appears to be some alchemy in exposing young lads to the mixture of gaelic football, rugby and soccer, unique to this isle.
Charlie Smyth, NFL International Player Pathway Class of 2024 Athletes Prepare For Training Camp. Picture ©INPHO/James Crombie
Charlie Smyth, NFL International Player Pathway Class of 2024 Athletes Prepare For Training Camp. Picture ©INPHO/James Crombie(©INPHO/James Crombie ©INPHO/James Crombie/©INPHO/James Crombie)
There were also hints at some genetic advantages. Perhaps Ireland is to kicking, what Jamacia is to sprinting.
It’s also true that if you’re looking for an NFL contract, then kicking, while not underplaying the challenge, is a less taxing skill to learn quickly than trying to become a quarter-back, line-backer or wide receiver.
With meet six young men (five with GAA backgrounds and one a former professional rugby player) following their NFL dream.
Charlie Smyth, a Down GAA player from Mayobridge, seems to be the best prospect and signs a 2025 season contract with the New Orleans Saints as a reserve kicker. Some achievement for a guy that had never played a game of American Football before he joined the programme
Leader explains the speed in the progression of recruitment. Just a couple of years ago the pathway was to get young Irish prospects into college football from where they could try and progress to the professional ranks.
Now, NFL teams are willing to take Irish kickers direct.
Darragh and Tadhg Leader in the US
Darragh and Tadhg Leader in the US. Picture RTE
Among the hopefuls are Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan, Mark Jackson from Wicklow and former Connaght rugby player, Darragh Leader (a brother of Tadgh).
Things are going so well that Tadhg is appointed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who appear to believe in the unique ability of the Irish to kick, to scout the country for a new kicker and their coaches come to Dublin for a session with the prospects.
And who knew there were so many “talented legs” in Ireland?
“(There’s) a lot of talented legs, you can hear it,” said Steelers kicking coach Shuan Suisham.
“I’ve been around kicking for a long time and when you hear a thump and a thud on a ball. And to anyone out there who has that ability where you’re different to most, if you can thump a ball, you got a chance,”
And what a chance.
The average salary in the NFL is $3.2m a year.
That’s the kind of money that convinced Welsh international rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit to turn his back on the Six Nations and move to the US.
The Irish boys are dreaming the same and it seems that for the talented GAA players, the days of dreaming of playing professional sport in Australia have been superseded by the bright lights and opportunity of America
Punt: The Irish and the NFL can be streamed on the RTE Player