RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesCharlie Smyth kicked 12 of 16 field goals for the New Orleans Saints last season [Getty Images]
Entering just his third pre-season training camp with New Orleans, Charlie Smyth can hardly be dubbed a veteran at this stage of his fledgling NFL career but the Saints' incumbent kicker certainly no longer feels a novice either.
Smyth's big chance with the Saints came last November when he stepped up to replace a struggling Blake Grupe in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins.
Signed to a three-year contract the following month, Smyth played in the final six games of the Saints' campaign, completing 12 of 16 field goal attempts and going a perfect on 13 extra-point attempts.
"I've got the experience in games to fall back on now," said the County Down native, who came through the league's International Player Pathway.
"It's been great to be into my third camp and feel a little more experienced, nothing here is foreign to me anymore.
"I've known the same special teams coordinator all my time here and he's been great with me.
"When you gain those relationships, it becomes familiar and I really do feel the support of everybody here. It's a cool feeling knowing that people want you to do well."
The raised profile of being an NFL starter still takes some getting used to - for instance, being the subject of fantasy football debates and seeing himself featured in the Madden computer game series.
"I remember one week, the game against the Jets where I scored five field goals and I think I scored something like 19 fantasy points, someone sent me a message or tweet pointing out that I'd scored more that week than Josh Allen, Travis Kelce, Jackson Dart etc and it was captioned 'This is why we love fantasy football!' – it was pretty funny.
"Then I saw myself in Madden there and thought this is mental. I used to play this game as a teenager growing up and I never thought I would be in that position.
"I am not getting carried away and am focused on being the player not the fan. I think I am doing a good job of that."
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Smyth and Lowry spent time together at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans in April [Getty Images]
During the off-season Smyth was able to compare notes with another Irish sportsman living stateside, the golfer Shane Lowry.
The pair spent time together at the Zurich Classic, a PGA Tour event in New Orleans, and aside from some good-natured GAA banter about the fortunes of their respective counties Down and Offaly, there was also a constructive discussion about the crossover between their two professions.
"Shane was brilliant. I walked the last couple of holes with him, I got to spend three or four hours with him," Smyth said.
"There are a lot of similarities between kicking and golf. From weight transfer to ball contact, hitting a draw or fade. We talked about the mentality of what he's thinking pre-shot, what I'm thinking pre-kick and we mashed it up.
"It was just a privilege to get to meet him."
For Smyth this camp brings the unfamiliar situation of looking over his shoulder at those eyeing his starting spot. This summer the Saints have added Tanner Brown, a UFL championship winner this year with the Louisville Kings, to their roster to vie with Smyth in the pre-season.
"It's just the way it is in this business. You don't take anything personally," he said.
"I've obviously been in this position with Blake in the past two off-seasons and even last year going in competition when the job was up for grabs.
"All the specialists are with each other all the time, it's the nature of the business. You just go out and execute to the best of your ability."
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