The Atlanta Falcons entered Week One against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with high expectations. They had every opportunity to win the game, but in the end, it was the Bucs who escaped Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a victory. The Falcons put their hopes on kicker Younghoe Koo to tie the game with a field goal, but he missed. After the game, he didn’t speak to the media.
“Younghoe Koo bounced from the Falcons locker room by the time the media was allowed in… So much for hearing from him," WSB’s Zach Klein reported.
For the first time in several seasons, Koo faced competition in training camp. The Falcons signed former professional soccer player Lenny Krieg, who had a strong offseason and appeared to be the better kicking option. Koo’s main goal this offseason was to return to the Pro Bowl form he knows he's capable of.
“I'm ready to get back to what I know I'm capable of: being the best in the league," Koo said. "I know I can do that, just going back to the process of what I do, and yeah, I'll get back to that for sure."
However, after Sunday’s missed kick, the Falcons had to act quickly. While Koo hasn't been cut—at least not yet—the team has begun holding tryouts. The first roster move came on Tuesday, when the Falcons signed Parker Romo to the practice squad. In response to the move, ESPN Radio’s Mark Zinno criticized the team's indecisiveness.
“Why are the Falcons p***yfooting around with this? Pun intended, I guess? If Romo is the guy, just sign him and cut Koo?? This blind loyalty is at a point of silliness. You don’t need THREE kickers on a roster,” Zinno wrote.
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The Falcons’ plans for Koo remain uncertain, but it seems like they’re slowly beginning to rip the band-aid off. Koo has been a reliable kicker for Atlanta, but after a disappointing 2024 season, it might already be time to move on. Still, it appears the Falcons intend to hold onto him for as long as they can.