Football team, Atlanta Falcons, part ways with their long-term kicker Younghoe Koo; Up-and-coming player Parker Romo promoted from practice squad to take his place.
In a surprising turn of events, the Atlanta Falcons have announced that John Parker Romo will be their full-time placekicker moving forward. The decision comes after the team released Younghoe Koo, who had been with the team since 2019.
Younghoe Koo, who made 86.8% of his field goals and 96% of his extra points in his time with the Falcons, missed a potential tying 44-yard field goal at the end of the Falcons' Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His absence in Week 2 was due to non-injury related reasons.
During Koo's Week 2 absence, Romo excelled in his place. The undrafted kicker out of Virginia Tech, who spent short stints with the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears, but never kicked for any of those teams, made all four of his kick attempts in the Week 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Romo's impressive performance in Week 2 has earned him the starting spot. The Falcons are giving him a chance to be their full-time placekicker ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Carolina Panthers, and are 5.5-point favorites in Carolina, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Younghoe Koo's tenure with the Falcons was marked by several notable achievements. He led the NFL with 37 field goals in 2020, a season in which he also made 27 consecutive field goals, the longest such streak in a single season in Falcons history. His longest field goal in 2020 was 54 yards, and his 700 total points ranks third in Falcons history, behind Matt Bryant and Morten Andersen. Koo was also named to the Pro Bowl in his first full season with the Falcons in 2020.
However, Koo's worst season in Atlanta came in 2024 when he made just 73.5% of his field goals. This, along with his performance in Week 1, seems to have prompted the Falcons to make a change.
Romo, on the other hand, has shown promise. After going undrafted in 2022, he kicked for the XFL's San Antonio Brahmas in 2023. In 2024, the Vikings signed him, and he made 11 of 12 field goals and seven of eight extra points in four games played.
As the Falcons prepare for their Week 3 matchup, the spotlight will be on Romo. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he can continue his strong performance and help the team secure a victory.
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