McAtamney took up kicking through the Covid-19 pandemic having been impressed by the information that David Shanahan from Kerry can be enjoying within the faculty recreation for Georgia Tech.
He made sufficiently fast progress to be supplied a scholarship to check at Chowan College in North Carolina in 2021, earlier than transferring to Rutgers a yr later then signing with the Giants as an undrafted free agent this spring.
He impressed within the Giants’ last pre-season recreation in opposition to the New York Jets, kicking two discipline targets from 23 and 43 yards, however misplaced out within the race for the starter’s berth Graham Gano.
The Scottish-born Gano, 37, injured his hamstring within the Giants’ first assembly with the Commanders in September, however McAtamney had not but been elevated to the lively roster.
Left with no kicker after the opening kick-off, the Giants misplaced that recreation 21-18 with all of the Commanders’ factors coming from discipline targets.
In response, the organisation introduced in free agent kicker Joseph, with the previous Minnesota Viking making 13 of his 16 discipline targets and all six tried factors after touchdowns [PATs] since.
Having been positioned on injured reserve, Joseph just isn’t capable of function in a recreation till the Giants host the New Orleans Saints on 8 December.