Charlie Smyth: Down man was ‘absolutely buzzing’ for NFL debut

After waiving Grupe ahead of the Dolphins game, the Saints did add veteran kicker Cade York to their practice squad.

But Smyth, a product of the NFL’s international player pathway programme, was the kicker selected for duty and impressed head coach Kellen Moore with his debut performance.

“Charlie, I thought, kicked really well. Big-time field goal. The onside kick obviously was really well-kicked. Phenomenal kick there and put us in a position to have a chance at the end,” Moore said after the defeat.

Smyth signed his first contract with the Saints in March 2024 and has had to bide his time over the last 18 months for his first chance in a regular season game.

“Charlie’s earned this opportunity. We have a lot of confidence in him. He’s worked at this thing for a number of years now.

“He’s prepared himself really well. We have a lot of confidence in him. He obviously has the leg to make some big-time kicks.

“That was a challenging situation, but it was a situation we needed to get some points there and he drilled it, and it was a phenomenal kick by him.”

Smyth is hoping this is the start of something special in New Orleans.

“It took a long time and it obviously means ‘I feel ready, I feel ready.’ But the coaches, they know what they’re doing. They’re really, really good.

“Obviously we didn’t envision it being like this because Blake (Grupe) has been so good and I have learned so much from him. Tuesday was strange emotions because you saw your opportunity potentially coming up but then seeing him out was tough because we’re friends.

“At the end of the day, you get your head right and I was buzzing and then on Thursday, it was kind of a big day and I kicked really well. I was just excited to get the opportunity and to be honest, I’m kind of hiding it a little bit, I was absolutely buzzing.”