Saints sign Irish footballer Charlie Smyth

Kiss him, he’s Irish!

On Friday, March 29 the New Orleans Saints signed Charlie Smyth, a former goalkeeper for the Gailec football club Down in Ireland to a three-year deal. The kicker position is officially a battle.

This signing comes after he had a workout with the team earlier this week. Smyth’s signing is making the seat of last year’s kicker Blake Grupe very warm. It will be interesting to see if he can transfer over what he learned in the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Gaelic football is different than its European counterpart. It’s played with a slightly smaller and heavier round ball, and both hands and feet are used to control and pass the ball. It’s native to Ireland and has been played there for over 700 years. You might see it compared to rugby – but the sports are really not that similar. Gaelic football prohibits rugby-style tackling but allows players to make full-body contact as long as it’s a clear attempt to win the ball.