Mark McNamee and Ross Bolger added to NFL International Pathway for 2025

The duo hope to follow in the footsteps of Charlie Smyth who signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints practice squad.

NFL IPP 2025: The National Football League have announced that Mark McNamee and Ross Bolger are two of five specialists joining the International Player Pathway (IPP) programme for 2025. Pic:©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

The National Football League have announced that Mark McNamee and Ross Bolger are two of five specialists joining the International Player Pathway (IPP) programme for 2025.

25-year-old McNamee previously played for Dublin's Ballyboden St Enda's while former Laois U20 footballer Bolger joins after a successful season of college football as a punter/kicker at Idaho State University.

McNamee and Bolger played in front of NFL scouts on Wednesday at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

German kicker Lenny Krieg, German punter Bastian Roppelt and Italian kicker Jonata Loria are the other three specialists joining the 2025 IPP class after the initial 14 strong group was announced in December.

McNamee and Bolger will be hoping to follow the same path as Down footballer Charlie Smyth who secured a place via the 2024 programme with the New Orleans Saints practice squad.

The programme was established in 2017 and aims to provide elite international athletes an opportunity to compete at NFL level, improve their skills and earn a spot on the NFL roster.

Smyth signed a new contract with the Saints last month guaranteeing him another off-season with the team.

Derryman Jude McAtamney became the first Irish-born placekicker to feature in a regular season NFL game since 1985 back in November when he made his debut for the New York Giant against Washington Commanders.