The Atlanta Falcons raised more than a few eyebrows earlier this season when they cut ties with longtime kicker Younghoe Koo. For a player who once held the title of the most accurate kicker in NFL history, it was a bold move. But fast forward to now, and it’s starting to look like the Falcons may have made the right call-though it took a bit of turbulence to get there.
After parting ways with Koo, Atlanta gave Parker Romo a shot. That experiment didn’t last long.
But then came Zane Gonzalez, and suddenly, the Falcons’ special teams found new life. Gonzalez has stepped in with confidence and consistency, helping stabilize a unit that had been anything but.
Meanwhile, Koo’s new chapter with the New York Giants isn’t exactly off to a storybook start. Things looked promising early-he was perfect on field goals through his first three games-but Week 13 brought a moment he’d probably like to forget.
With the Giants trailing the Patriots, Koo lined up for a 46-yard attempt. But as he planted, his cleat got stuck in the turf, throwing off his mechanics entirely.
He couldn’t even follow through on the kick.
What followed was pure chaos. Punter Jamie Gillan, recognizing the play was breaking down, scooped up the ball and tried to salvage something by running.
It didn’t work. The attempt ended in a whimper, and for Koo, it was a lowlight in a season that’s already been tough to watch.
It’s a far cry from the version of Koo Falcons fans once adored. Back in 2020, he was automatic-hitting nearly 95% of his field goals and earning Pro Bowl honors.
He followed that up with another strong campaign in 2021. But the wheels started to come off after that.
By 2024, his field goal percentage had plummeted to 73.5%, the lowest of his career by a significant margin.
The turning point came in Week 1 this season, when Koo missed a game-tying field goal against the Buccaneers. That miss proved costly, and it was the final straw for a fanbase that had grown increasingly frustrated. The Falcons made the move, and while it didn’t pay off immediately, Romo’s perfect 5-for-5 debut and Gonzalez’s NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors have helped justify the decision.
What’s made Koo’s journey even more unusual is how he ended up back on an NFL roster. He initially lost a kicking competition to Jude McAtamney in New York, but when Graham Gano’s injury lingered, the Giants brought Koo in for a second chance. So far, though, that opportunity hasn’t turned into redemption.
That missed kick in Week 13 felt like a microcosm of the Giants’ season. At 2-11, they’ve struggled across the board.
Even the return of quarterback Jaxson Dart from injury couldn’t lift them out of their slump, as they were soundly beaten 33-15 on Monday Night Football. The loss was tough, but the Giants did make a move the Falcons haven’t-they fired their head coach, signaling a desire for a reset.
As for Koo, his fall from grace has been tough to watch for fans in both Atlanta and New York. For Falcons fans, it’s a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL.
One minute, you’re the most reliable player on the roster; the next, you’re on the outside looking in. And for Giants fans, it’s another chapter in a season full of frustration-one they can now share with Atlanta supporters who’ve seen this story before.