One of the most underreported Atlanta Falcons stories of the 2024 season was the unexpected implosion of kicker Younghoe Koo. This was understandable as the team dealt with a new head coach and had the worst starting quarterback in the league. Disgruntled quarterback Kirk Cousins was understandably grabbing all of the headlines, but Koo deserved heat as well for Atlanta's late-season collapse.
It was a team effort with Cousins turning the ball over and missing open receivers, while Koo couldn't be relied on to make the simplest of kicks. This ended with the veteran ending the season on injured reserve and Atlanta turning to Riley Patterson. For Koo, it was a frustrating ending to the season and raised questions heading into 2025. The Falcons' preseason finale was a reminder of this fact with Koo missing a makeable kick against Dallas.
Koo's 51-yard miss was the only failure of the day, with the veteran going 2-of-3, leaving remaining concerns for Falcons fans. Before the 2024 season, the veteran was one of the few pieces that could be consistently relied on for the struggling organization. Heading into the 2024 season, the veteran had an elite percentage that put him among the league's best all-time scorers.
Falcons Fans Still Have Reason to Be Concerned About Younghoe Koo
Koo made 73.5% of his kicks last season, previously never hitting lower than 86.5% during his time with the franchise. It was a huge dip that left reason to wonder if the veteran had hit a wall. Kickers hitting a mental block or struggling without warning isn't uncommon in an incredibly mentally taxing position. The Atlanta kicker wouldn't be the first, leaving a healthy level of concern.
Still, the Falcons cannot afford to turn the page without giving a proven clutch option one more chance. The historic rate at which Koo was kicking prior to 2024 earns a level of grace even amid the frustration. However, the Falcons should be ready to pivot far faster, understanding that if the issues remain into this season, it is a continuation and undeniable evidence that the page must be turned.
The Falcons need to allow Koo two or three games to have a large enough sample size to determine whether or not the veteran is still an answer moving forward. If the struggles from last year continue, you simply cannot afford to continue to employ a player who has already cost you important games and was a piece of Atlanta's 2024 demise.