New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced today that the club has signed kicker Charlie Smyth from the practice squad to the active roster and placed wide receiver Devaughn Vele on Injured Reserve.

Smyth (pronounced Smith), 6-4, 210, originally signed with the Saints as a free agent in 2024 through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program. A Newry, Northern Ireland native, he spent the past two seasons on the Saints' practice squad before taking over the kicking duties in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins.

In three contests, Smyth is four-of-five on field goal attempts with a long of 56 yards and successfully converted an onside kick. His first career field goal, a 56-yarder, is tied for the second-longest made on a first attempt in NFL history. In Week 15 against Carolina, he connected on a 42-yarder and the game-winning 47-yarder with two seconds remaining, marking New Orleans' first game-winning field goal since 2022.

Prior to joining the Saints, Smith was previously a goalkeeper for Down GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) in Gaelic football and was selected by the NFL to participate in its International Player Pathway (IPP) program. The 24-year old Smyth, who started playing Gaelic football as a four year old, is an Ulster-under 20 winner who made his senior debut in 2023 in Ireland's elite inter-county league. He studied at Belfast University and completed his master's degree in physical education.

Smyth is the second kicker in NFL history to appear in a game after coming from Ireland through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program, joining Jude McAtamney, and the first to do so without any prior college experience. Launched in 2017, the IPP program is designed to give elite international athletes the opportunity to develop their skills and compete for a spot on an NFL roster.