Today we are catching up with Patrick Murtagh, the former Gold Coast Suns AFL Player selected to try out for the NFL after being one of the few players picked up at their International Combine earlier in the year.
Murtagh will now travel to the United States as part of the international player pathway and spend the next ten weeks training and working to impress talent scouts from each of the thirty-two NFL franchises.
The ultimate goal for the 22yo Gold Coaster is to either be signed on as a free agent or alternatively to secure a coveted spot on one of the team’s practice squads for the 2023 season, ultimately following in the footsteps of Jordan Mailata and joining the full-time NFL roster.
You may know Patrick from his time playing for the Gold Coast Suns VFL side for the last three years after being drafted by the club back in 2019 as part of the suns’ academy; what you might not now know is his NFL ambitions are the latest in a line of sporting achievements across multiple sporting codes.
Growing up on the Gold Coast and studying at TSS, he soon found himself participating in multiple sporting endeavours, playing Rugby Union throughout high school, then switching to athletics and becoming a back-to-back state decathlon champion.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the talented young gun; last year, he received the news that the Gold Coast Suns would move to delist him for 2023 as part of their on-field changes, which put him on the trajectory of pursuing a coveted spot in Americas National Football League.
Talking about his decision to try out for the NFL, he said, ” I’ve been a massive fan of the sport from a young age, and after being delisted by the Suns last year, there were some talks about a possible training camp in London, and I decided I couldn’t help but go for it”.
We asked Patrick how he found juggling working in hospitality, getting some time with friends and family and undergoing a heavy and full-time training schedule, all in preparation for the upcoming draft…
“I’m really lucky at Wabisabi Sushi that my boss Eddie Murillo understands the lifestyle I’m in at the moment and is supportive of my ambition; the same goes for my friends; they respect what I’m striving for and understand that training is a priority for me at this stage, and I’m so grateful for the support of my family and friends and colleagues around me.”
We also talked about his time at the Suns and how we believe it prepared him for his time in the NFL…” My time at the Suns played a significant role in my life, teaching me so many lessons on and off the field going into the upcoming camp; I feel like I have an advantage already being in a professional sporting team and insight into what it takes to be an elite athlete.”
Stay tuned to see how Patrick Murtagh goes in the upcoming NFL program.
Thanks to Tom Power, who co-wrote and gathered the interview and resources for this article.
