Younghoe Koo on Falcons Kicking Competition: ‘The Past Doesn’t Matter’

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo isn't focused on his past with the team as he battles Lenny Krieg for the starting spot.

Atlanta Falcons place kicker Younghoe Koo was 4/4 in a Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints in 2024. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Younghoe Koo was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in 2019. For the last six seasons, Koo has been Atlanta’s starting kicker; however, he struggled heavily last season. While he did hit a career-high 58-yard field goal to walk off the Saints in Week 4, Koo made 25 of his 34 field goal attempts, 73.5%, his lowest mark since joining the Falcons. 

While some of it may be due to injury, Koo does not use that as an excuse. 

“Yeah, injury or not, it wasn’t the best season,” Koo said this week. 

Koo finally succumbed to a right hip injury after facing the Raiders in Week 15. He did not appear in Atlanta’s final three games of the season. Riley Patterson finished out the season for the Falcons, going four of seven on his kicks.

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This offseason, Atlanta signed kicker Lenny Krieg, a German kicker who impressed at the combine. Krieg and Koo have been competing in a kicking battle all camp. 

Despite being in open competition, the pair are very friendly with one another, with Koo even taking the German kicker under his wing. 

“He’s a great dude, he works hard,” Koo said. “I try to help him any way I can, and at the end of the day, you know I just got to do my part and be the best version of myself.” 

Koo has no animosity towards Krieg. He knows to win the kicker spot, he just has to go out there and prove he can hit his kicks, which he did on Monday. On a day when there was steady rain, Koo went out there and went 4/4 on his field goal attempts. Krieg was 3/4 with Koo getting the best of him that day.

Krieg had the advantage on the first day the pair attempted field goals, with Koo missing from 50 that day. The battle should rage on into preseason and joint practices next week as well.

Koo knows that he will have to prove himself these coming weeks, and not just rely on his past resume, if he wants to retain his starting spot.

“Week 1 comes, it doesn’t really matter what you’ve done or what you haven’t done in the past. It’s what matters right there, so I just try to get ready for that.” Koo said. 

A competition, but a very healthy one, where both “adversaries” are pushing one another to be their best selves.