Younghoe Koo Released from Falcons in Stunning Move

The Atlanta Falcons have officially parted ways with kicker Younghoe Koo after seven seasons, the team announced Friday. 

The South Korea-born Koo initially entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. After struggling through four games and getting waived, many thought his professional football dreams were over. However, Koo used a solid showing in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football to earn his way back to the NFL.

From Unlikely Hero to Pro Bowl Success

Atlanta took a chance on Koo in 2019 when no other team would. The gamble paid off, especially during his breakout 2020 campaign. That season, Koo led the NFL with 37 made field goals while converting an impressive 94.9% of his attempts, earning him Pro Bowl honors.

“This place helped me grow as a kicker and as a man,” Koo posted on Instagram following his release. “I will forever be grateful for the support from the fans during my time here.”

During his tenure with the Falcons, Koo compiled impressive statistics. According to ESPN, he made 181 of 211  field goal attempts (85.8%) with a career-long of 58 yards. His breakdown by distance shows consistent accuracy:

• 20-29 yards: 52-of-52  (100 %)
• 30-39 yards: 52-of-56  (92.8 %)
• 40-49 yards: 48-of-63 (76.1 %)
• 50-plus yards: 29-of-40 (72.5 %)

Recent Struggles Surface

However, Koo’s consistency declined significantly in recent seasons. Last year proved to be his worst as a Falcon, converting just 25 of 34 field goal attempts for a career-low 73.5% success rate. The struggles continued into 2025, culminating with a missed 44-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of Week 1’s loss to Tampa Bay that would have sent the game to overtime.

That miss dropped Koo to 11-of-16 (68.5%) in his career on field goal attempts that would either tie a game or take the lead in the final minute. Prior to that kick, he had made seven straight field goals in similar clutch situations.