Falcons Sign Pro Bowl Kicker Younghoe Koo to Lucrative Extension
Younghoe Koo became one of the league's top kickers during his three-year run with the Atlanta Falcons. He'll be staying in Atlanta for the long-term now.
Koo and the Falcons agreed to terms on a five-year extension worth $24.25 million, $11.5 million of which is guaranteed. He is now the second-highest paid kicker in the league, trailing only Baltimore Ravens' Justin Tucker in guaranteed money.
Koo has become an icon for the Falcons since arriving from the Atlanta Legends of The Alliance of American Football. In three years, he's made 92.1 percent of his field goal attempts, including 13 from 50-plus yards downfield. He also has gone 87 of 91 in point after attempts, giving him a success rate of 94.5 percent.
The 2020 season was a record year for Koo as he was named to his first Pro Bowl. He became the NFL's leading scorer in Week 13. For the campaign, Koo had made 32 of 33 field goals and 23 extra points, good enough for 119 points scored for the Falcons.
In 2021, Koo made 27 of 29 field goals, the third-best field goal percentage in the league. He also stole the show with several game-winning field goals thrown into the mix against the New Giants, Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints.
Multiple reports indicated that the Falcons could use the franchise tag on Koo before letting him test free agency. Another thought process was that Koo, a restricted free agent, could have received a second-round tag to force teams to trade away high-end draft capital for his services.
Instead, coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot both were on board with keeping their prized kicker on the roster for years to come. He will be under contract the 2026 season.
