The Atlanta Falcons are preparing for a competitive kicker position battle between veteran Younghoe Koo and newcomer Lenny Krieg. Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams emphasized the ongoing competition, stating, “If you’re a kicker, the starting kicker for the Atlanta Falcons, and you’re the only kicker on the roster, you’re still competing with the other 31 teams and those free agents that are on the street.”
Younghoe Koo has been with the Falcons since 2019 and secured a five-year extension in 2022. Meanwhile, Lenny Krieg, who hails from Germany and has yet to play an NFL game, signed a three-year deal earlier this year.
Williams highlighted the team’s approach to fostering competition across all positions: “All across the board, as our team, we’re always looking for competition and we’re always looking to bring in the best players.” He noted that having two skilled kickers in training is part of their strategy.
Though it is unlikely that both kickers will make it onto the final 53-man roster before the season starts, Krieg’s participation in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program offers an alternative. If selected for this program spot, he would not count toward the roster limit.
Williams was impressed by Krieg’s performance at the 2025 NFL Combine where he successfully completed all 14 field-goal attempts. This led to further evaluation during IPP Pro Day before signing him. Williams expressed confidence in bringing Krieg onboard: “Just seeing him kick in person…it was a no-brainer to bring him in.”
Koo’s status remains under scrutiny after a challenging 2024 season where he made only 25 of his 34 field goal attempts. His season ended prematurely due to an injury affecting his right hip. Despite these setbacks, Williams defended Koo’s reliability: “Not making excuses or anything like that…I know his process.”
As offseason activities continue with Organized Team Activities (OTAs) approaching next week, Koo has reportedly been performing well according to Williams but declined detailed comments on his health status.
Both kickers are expected to showcase their skills during open practice sessions next Tuesday; however, attendance is voluntary until mandatory minicamp begins on June 10th. Williams anticipates strong performances from both athletes: “I’m excited for both those gentlemen to go out there and have their best offseason and training camp.”
