After consistently being one of the best kickers in the NFL during his first five seasons in Atlanta, Younghoe Koo struggled massively in the 2024 season. He kicked a career-worst 73.5% in his 34 field goal attempts, adding more misery to the already disappointing Falcons offense.
His struggles led some Falcons fans to question his future with the team. While there hasn't been much of an indication that Koo's future in Atlanta is in jeopardy, kickers' careers are notably shaky. An extended cold stretch could easily see you fall down in the pecking order and hurt your career trajectory.
Fortunately for Koo, an NFL rule change will likely help get his career back on track. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on Wednesday that the league owners passed a rule change allowing teams to declare onside kicks at any point during a game when they are trailing.
Falcons Could Gain Minor Edge With New Rule Change
The previous rule stated that the teams could only announce onside kicks if they were trailing in the fourth quarter. This could potentially increase the number of onside kicks in any given game, especially if the team is down big early.
Koo has established himself as the master of the onside kick. While the importance of onside kicks has diminished in recent years after the NFL eliminated surprise onside kicks, it remains a weapon for the best onside kickers in the league.
Koo has made a name for himself as the master of the art when he converted three consecutive onside kicks against the Saints in 2019. For a play that has an overall success rate of around six percent, that was highly improbable from a statistical standpoint.
How much the rule change will impact the teams' playcalling remains to be seen, but it could give the Falcons a minor edge in specific situations. Let's see if Koo can make the most out of the opportunity.