Dan Whelan has reignited his hopes of playing in the NFL by signing for the Green Bay Packers ahead of their pre-season camp.
The Enniskerry born kicker moved to California during his teens, and starred for UC Davis during his college days as a kicker.
After narrowly missing out on a spot with the New Orleans Saints last year, Whelan will now have another shot at sealing a place on an NFL roster ahead of the 2023 season.
Dan Whelan: Punter signs for Green Bay Packers
In an Instagram post on Tuesday evening, Irish kicker Dan Whelan confirmed that he had signed with the Green Bay Packers.
View this post on Instagram
In his Instagram post, Whelan said: "All glory to God! Thank you Packers for the opportunity #gopackgo"
Enniskerry-born Whelan previously signed with the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2022 season, but ultimately lost out to Blake Gillikin when their roster was selected after the summer training camp, and was released.
The DC Defenders in the XFL - a Vince McMahon-led minor league - were Whelan's destination for the past season, with his performances strong enough to put him back on the radar of NFL teams.
Whelan will now go head-to-head with 32-year-old Pat O'Donnell to work his way onto the Green Bay Packers' roster as the team's punter for the 2023 NFL season.
Given most NFL teams only carry one punter, it will be tricky for 23-year-old Whelan to work his way into contention, but the speed with which he has worked his way back to an NFL training camp bodes well for his chances of sealing a place.
Should Dan Whelan earn a place on the Packers' roster, he would become the first Irish player to feature in the NFL since Neil O'Donoghue, who played for the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and St. Louis Cardinals during an eight year stay in the league.
SEE ALSO: Rory McIlroy To Definitively Sidestep LIV Golf Debate
