The New York Giants endured one of the more devastating losses in their recent history on Sunday – which is saying something – and it’s been desperately sad to see their Derry-born kick Jude McAtamney become a scapegoat for the loss by the team’s own fans.

McAtamney missed two extra points in the loss to the Broncos – on the Giants first and last touchdowns – and those two points would have swung the result in New York’s favour as they lost 33-32.

Speaking to media on Monday, NY Giants head coach Brian Daboll said the Giants would be considering their kicking options this week, but it’s hard to see a way back for the Derryman in New York after the fall-out to the Broncos loss. 

As the post-mortem continues in New York, the truth is there is no shortage of blame to go around. Blame their rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who threw a backbreaking interception in the fourth quarter. Blame their defensive coordinator Shane Bowen who couldn’t stop the bleeding as Denver scored 33 fourth quarter points. 

But NFL kickers are in a uniquely vulnerable position. There’s practically zero margin for error in their job, which they perform under uniquely high pressure.

Screw up and you’re directly in the firing line.

Screw up twice while playing for a dysfunctional team in America’s biggest media market who are on the wrong side of a historically bad comeback loss, and you’ll likely find yourself seeking a new employer.  

Bill Simmons had a go. Jason Kelce got in on the act, before thinking the better of it. Lawrence Tynes – who was born in Scotland and won two Super Bowls with the Giants – was extremely harsh in his criticism –  which was disappointing considering his own journey in the game. 

And then there’s the social media pile-on.

For both serious and casual fans of the NFL on this of the Atlantic, the horrendous social media abuse lobbed at McAtamney from Giants fans has been breathtaking. It cuts different when it’s one of your own. 

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However, McAtamney’s plight serves as a wake-up call to the brutal reality for Irish players trying to make it in the NFL.

When the NFL’s IPP expanded in 2024 to include kicking ‘specialists’, the door opened to Irish players – especially those with gaelic football backgrounds – to try to make it in the NFL.

It’s a brilliant ‘American dream’ narrative that we can all get behind, as well as a savvy marketing ploy by the NFL who are desperate to expand their global footprint.

What the likes of McAtamney and Charlie Smyth have done in terms of making NFL rosters and practice squads in a sport they didn’t grow up playing is a testament to their character as sportsmen, not to mention their ability as kickers. 

But the position they’re trying to play is one of the most psychologically taxing in all of sport. Miss a big kick and your whole livelihood is at risk. These are completely expendable employees, vilified by fans and quickly forgotten about by teams. The NFL is full of stories of highly-touted kickers who flailed under the scrutiny of this position and didn’t last. 

This is the other side of life in the NFL for specialists in this unique position, and not one that we hear too much about.

It was great to see McAtamney’s GAA club in Swatragh tweet their support of their clubman. Regardless of what happens with him and the Giants, he was a product of his club and he brings the club’s values with him.

McAtamney fronted up when asked tough questions after the game. That’s a sign of his character. That fans of the Giants could be so disparaging in their response to his apology is a terrible look for them. It also lets us all see the reality of a sporting culture we’re so desperately trying to crack.