Falcons Say 'No-Brainer' Signing German Kicker Krieg, Expect Competition with Koo

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Lenny Krieg often didn't know his holder. The placement of the football's he kicked weren't ideal. He made all 14 of his field goals anyways.

In perhaps the biggest job interview of his life, Krieg, a kicker who hails from Berlin, Germany, aced his NFL Combine test -- right in front of Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator Marquice Williams.

Krieg's performance at the combine capped what was a pivotal part in a lengthy process that started in Ireland, but he didn't generate substantial interest until another quality showing at the International Player Pathway program pro day March 26.

The Falcons signed Krieg the next day -- but Williams, at least internally, was sold on Krieg at the combine.

"There was no complaining, no excuses. He just went about his business," Williams said Wednesday. "That's what I appreciate about him, because there will come times where it's going to be on your shoulders and you got to take care of it. But that was cool to see that.

"He just went about his business, and he just operated at a high level."

The 6-foot-1, 211-pound Krieg spent the past two years kicking for the Stuttgart Surge of the European League of Football. In 2022, he kicked for the Berlin Adler.

Now, he enters OTAs, which start May 27, with a shot to compete against former Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo for the Falcons' kicking spot. Williams said kickers like Koo, who's been in Atlanta since midway through the 2019 season, understand each day is a competition -- with themselves, free agents and the other 31 active kickers.

"I know that both guys will put together their best effort, their best body of work," Williams said.

There is, however, more to the Falcons' kicking competition than makes and misses. Williams looks for athleticism -- Koo previously played wide receiver, while Krieg played soccer -- and intangibles. He focuses on the process, approach, operation, fundamentals and mindset.

Williams also believes the Falcons' locker room will, in part, dictate the result of the competition.

"I think as a kicker, you have to be likable, too, because there's going to be a time you miss a kick. It's going to happen," Williams said. "How are your teammates going to treat you? Are they going to be the ones encouraging you? Are they going to be the ones like walking away from you and be like, 'Man, why's he here?' So, I think that's a huge part of it."

Koo has the support of Atlanta's locker room, though the 30-year-old is coming off a down season in which he made 25 of 34 field goals and was tied for the league lead in misses before being placed on injured reserve with a right hip injury after Week 15.

A not-so-hidden aspect of the Falcons' second-half collapse last year was the kicking game. Atlanta finished 31st in field goal percentage and changed the way the team operated on the plus side of the 50-yard line.

Williams declined to comment fully on Koo's status, though he said Koo is moving around and participating in the early phases of the team's offseason program.

Koo is the 12th-highest-paid kicker in the NFL, according to Spotrac. The Falcons could save $3 million against the salary cap if they moved on from him.

Koo is, by in large, the favorite to be Atlanta's kicker. Krieg will likely have a spot on the Falcons' roster regardless of the competition's result, as the designated International Player Pathway selection doesn't count against the 53-man limit.

Krieg has beaten the odds time and again in his pro career. An inquiry on social media led him to the opportunities in Germany, Ireland and Indianapolis, where he excelled at each spot. He's off to a fast start in Atlanta, where Williams touted his mindset, approach and perspective.

And with a background rooted in reliability and resiliency, Krieg has the resume of a viable professional kicker.

"Just all those little details and little things make him who he is," Williams said. "Just seeing him kick in person, spending more time with him, understanding why he plays the game, why he loves the game -- it was a no-brainer to bring him in."

Though the length of Krieg's stay is uncertain, he has a strong probability of returning home this season. The Falcons face the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

It's merely a coincidence, Williams said, that Atlanta signed a Berlin native one month before it officially became part of the first NFL matchup in the city -- but coincidence hasn't stopped Williams from joking with his newest specialist.

"I was giving him a hard time, like, 'Down the road, you play in that game, they might build a statue there if you make a kick,'" Williams said. "But he's been great."

The next three months may ultimately dictate whether Krieg gets the chance to add another chapter to his young but story-like career -- and become a statue-worthy figure in Berlin.