West Atlanta News

When the Atlanta Falcons faced the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, kicker Younghoe Koo emerged as a crucial player. He scored four field goals, including a decisive 58-yard kick in overtime, securing a 26-24 victory for his team. This achievement marked the longest successful kick of Koo's career.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris expressed unwavering confidence in Koo after the game, stating, "It's hard to say you're not going to have confidence in that young man and what he is able to do... You are always going to have a lot of confidence in Koo and what he does and how he goes about his process."

However, during their Week 10 rematch against the Saints, where the Falcons lost 20-17, Koo became a target for criticism. The usually dependable kicker missed two field goals and had another blocked—an unprecedented occurrence for him within a single game. In a closely contested match decided by four points, these missed opportunities were significant.

Koo took responsibility for his performance, saying, "This game is on me, and I'll take that... I let the team down and I don't take that lightly." Despite this setback, Morris remains supportive of his kicker: "Younghoe Koo is one of those guys that's mentally tough... So my confidence is at a high level with him."

Morris has previously navigated similar situations with other players. As Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive backs coach in 2008, he witnessed then-kicker Matt Bryant's struggles but saw Bryant later become Atlanta's all-time leading scorer.

Koo's NFL journey began with promise at Georgia Southern before joining the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. Despite early setbacks with missed kicks leading to his release from the Chargers, Koo found redemption with the Falcons starting in 2019. Since then, he has been among the league's most reliable kickers.

The current challenges facing Koo are notable given his past performance; however, history shows potential for recovery. Morris draws parallels between Koo’s situation and other sports scenarios: "I've got Steph Curry on my team... I'm not moving on from Steph because he missed some threes."