New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has confirmed Charlie Smyth will keep his place as starting kicker for their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend.

The 24-year-old made his NFL debut on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, kicking a 56-yard field goal and completing an onside kick in the 21-17 defeat.

After waiving Blake Grupe in the build-up to the Dolphins game, the Saints signed Cade York but have opted to keep the more experienced NFL kicker in their practice squad once again for Smyth.

“We’ll go with Charlie,” Moore said, when asked who would kick on Sunday.

“Charlie will be ready to go. He did an excellent job last week and we’re in a good development phase with both of these guys.”

The Mayobridge native, who was part of the NFL’s international player pathway programme, initially signed for the Saints in March 2024 and featured in pre-season in August before his debut in Florida last weekend.

Coach Moore described Smyth’s first points in the NFL as “phenomenal”, adding that the former Down GAA goalkeeper had “earned this opportunity”.

“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,” Moore said after the Dolphins defeat.

“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.”