Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan went on quite a journey last year as he became agonisingly close to being signed by an NFL team, and potentially changing his life forever.
The All-Star keeper to part in several combines and as he continued to pass every test with flying colours, the next thing he knew he was in America with real American footballers, kicking and performing well.
Eventually the time came after the draft was made, and he was given his opportunity to be signed by the Carolina Panthers.
Speaking on The Puke Football Podcast at the launch of the AIB Club Championship, Beggan revealed how ruthless the business really was.
The Puke Interview: Rory Beggan
- NFL experience, the highs and lows🏈
- Surprise at Vinny Corey leaving 😲
- The new county management team 🆕
- Watching the new rules in the & what he thinks of them🤔
- How he thinks he will adapt to the new rules if they are brought in🔥 pic.twitter.com/YqgRbGn4xD— Lee Costello (@PukeFootballPod) October 16, 2024
Until the draft I had heard nothing, and then literally 12:01pm, when the draft was finished, I got a call from my agent to say that Caroline Panthers are potentially looking at you for a rookie camp.
"So I had heard nothing for two or three days, then they said they were going to fly me out on this date, it will be for these amount of days, and then they are going to fly you back, so it is up to you when you are out there to knock them back essentially.
"So I had a week before I went out, I got a bit of practise in, I went out to it, and the first day I was there I didn't kick, did a medical, and watched the other kicker kick, my day was the Saturday.
"I kicked okay, missed two or three from further out, but I kicked a lot of my normal ones and went back in, and an hour or two later, I was out the door, cut."
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Beggan actually wasn't going home until the following day, so he just had to kill time in America and try to process what he had just been told.
Footballer Rory Beggan (Scotstown,Monaghan) pictured at the launch of this year’s AIB Club Championships which for the first season sees a single sponsor unite four codes of Gaelic Games, honouring #TheToughest players. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
It was just a ruthless business, I was just told 'yeah we're not signing you' and I had actually another night to stay in Charlotte because I wasn't flying out until the Sunday.
"So I was cut at two o'clock in the day, I went in, walked around the city, went to a few bars and stuff like that - watched the golf, Rory McElroy was playing in that city at that time.
"There was a live stream of a club game back home so I watched a bit of it and then went back to the hotel, went to sleep, up the next morning and went home.
"So I was disappointed, but a bit more clarity then, I knew what was ahead of me coming home. I didn’t get an amazing amount of feedback from the coaches now to be honest, that was the disappointing side of it."
You can listen to the full interview with Rory Beggan for free on The Puke Football Podcast, just click here: The puke Football Podcast with Rory Beggan
