NFL: Green Bay Packers add Dan Whelan to roster for new season

Meet the 2023 Green Bay Packers roster

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers added punter Dan Whelan to their 53-player roster for the upcoming NFL 2023/2024 season after parting ways with veteran Pat O’Donnell the day before.

Whelan will serve as the primary punter for the Packers, a team that could not secure a spot in the playoffs last season. He will work alongside kicker Anders Carlson, who joined the Packers earlier this year, on the team’s special team.

Whelan becomes the first Irishman in the NFL since 1985, after kicker Neil O’Donoghue. During his eight-year stint in the NFL, O’Donoghue played with the St. Louis Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Whelan’s career highlights

The 24-year-old Whelan was originally from Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, but moved to Palm Springs, California, at 13 with his family. Starting with soccer, he later shifted to American football during his junior year at Rancho Mirage High School.

Additionally, he participated in tennis during his high school years. After his time at Rancho Mirage, he committed to playing college football for the UC Davis Aggies and became a starter for the team during his time there.

In his freshman year at UC Davis in 2017, Whelan played five games, completing 10 punts for 440 yards. The following year, he participated in all 13 games, achieving 67 punts for 2,756 yards and receiving honorable mention all-conference recognition. His performance continued in 2019 with a third-team all-conference spot, boasting a 44.1 punting average on 57 kicks.

Whelan went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft but signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent. He later joined the DC Defenders in the 2023 XFL Draft, becoming their punter for all 10 games and earning All-XFL honors with an average of 45.6 yards per attempt. He also ranked third in the minor league for punting average and led the league in hang time.