McAtamney ‘had a feeling’ Giants move would happen

Jude McAtamney of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is congratulated by team-mate Adam Korsak

For former Derry Under-20s gaelic footballer Jude McAtamney, his potentially life-changing dream of signing for NFL side the New York Giants has become a reality.

Following the NFL draft last week – where the game’s best college prospects are selected by the league’s 32 franchises – McAtamney has signed with the four-time Super Bowl winners as a free agent.

The kicker, who won an Ulster Under-20s title with Derry, will now compete with Scottish-born Graham Gano for a roster spot.

“We verbally agreed on Saturday, it was nice to have that clarity,” McAtamney told BBC Sport NI.

“The amount of feedback the Giants gave me since the day I worked out with them, I would maybe have been surprised if they wouldn’t have taken me. I had a good feeling it was going to happen.

“It was a long day but the longer the day went on the more likely that I was going to get picked up. It was about 6:30 US time and I got a call to say: ‘Look, the offer’s there, if you want to take it take it.’ So me and my agent, we jumped on it.

“From the interactions we had before if we were to pick a team [to be with] it would have been the Giants.”