JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed Australian TE Patrick Murtagh, the team announced today.
Murtagh, 6-6, 250, is a member of the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program Class of 2024. He was a national-level decathlete and a Queensland state champion in high school. Murtagh was awarded a place on Australia's Commonwealth pathway before deciding to pursue a career in Australian Rules Football. He signed with the AFL's Gold Coast Suns at the age of 19 and spent time with the Suns until September 2022, before originally pursuing his opportunity with the NFL's International Player Pathway program in 2023. After a successful training camp 2023, Murtagh was assigned to the Detroit Lions for the NFL season. After spending a week in Detroit, he had to leave due to an undisclosed medical issue.
Established in 2017, the IPP program aims to provide elite international athletes with the opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills and ultimately work to earn a spot on an NFL roster. Players began training in the United States in January at IMG Academy and had the opportunity to showcase their talents to NFL club scouts in March. At the conclusion of training camp, IPP athletes are eligible to fill a 17th practice squad roster — an additional spot reserved for an international player — following the rule change beginning with the 2024 season applicable to athletes outside of the United States and Canada.
