Some rumors have been swirling that Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo may be cut from the team to save around $3 million in cap space.
Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said after the season that he will bring in competition at all positions, including kicker. Koo had a bit of a down year in 2024, only converting on 73.5% of kicks (25 out of 34). Since 2019, Koo has made at least 86.5% of kicks in every season.
Koo also missed seven extra-point attempts during this past season, prompting some questioning from the fan base. Over the years, Younghoe Koo has been one of the more consistent kickers and one of the most recognizable faces at the position.
Considering the money that could be saved by cutting Koo, it has been reported that it may be a necessary roster move. Many think that the kicker position can be filled at any given time, but when you have a team like Atlanta that has struggled in the red zone in recent years, it seems to be a vital piece of the organization.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris echoed Fontenot's comments about bringing in competition for Koo, and both said Atlanta—between Koo and his injury-related replacement Riley Patterson—missed too many kicks in 2024.
"The brutal honest truth, that can't happen," Morris said on Jan. 6. "So, we got to find ways to make those kicks."
We will have to wait and see how this story plays out, but the Falcons still have confidence in Koo to make the crucial kicks when needed. Although a cut may seem possible at this point, few have been as clutch as Younghoe Koo in certain situations and led his team to many victories.
