FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Of course Younghoe Koo was frustrated.
The Atlanta Falcons kicker missed a 44-yard field goal last Sunday that would have pushed the Falcons' Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into overtime. Instead, Atlanta lost by a score of 23-20 and began their season with an 0-1 record.
"We've been in this situation so many times," Koo said Monday. "The frustration just came out of just disappointment in myself and knowing that I know I'm better than that. On top of that, I let the guys down.
"Unfortunately, we've been having this conversation more than I would like."
The conversations began in 2024, when Koo had what he called the worst season of his life.
Koo has been with the Falcons since 2019. And last year, he turned in his lowest success rate — 73.5% — when it comes to field goals. He made 25 of his 34 attempts. The nine misses were a career-high total, and there was a single-game high of three in the Atlanta's Week 10 loss to the New Orleans Saints that was decided by three points.
The Falcons placed Koo on injured reserve in Week 16 due to a hip injury. Koo said back in May he fully recovered from that injury. He reiterated that sentiment Monday, too.
"Had a great offseason, great camp," Koo said. "Two weeks leading into Week 1, I felt great. I still do."
Koo made both of his extra-point attempts against the Buccaneers. He also made 36- and 41-yard field goals, though the 36-yarder came close to bouncing off an upright the wrong way. The glaring issue was the 44-yarder.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said in his postgame press conference that is a very makeable distance. Prior to this year, Koo made 46 of his 57 field-goal attempts between 40-49 yards for the Falcons. That's good for 81%. If last year's wonkiness is negated, that percentage goes up even higher to 85% since he hit 39 of 46 from that range.
The fact Koo missed from such a distance at an important time in the game was deemed a red flag. It could affect the game plan, too, and whether Morris chooses to punt or go for a field goal depending on field position. After what happened against the Buccaneers last Sunday, that thought is in Morris' head.
"You have to say yes, right?" Morris said. "When it goes down that way, you got to make some of those decisions. It's going to factor in particularly when you don't make them. These are the hard truths in what we do."
Another hard truth is in the lack of job security.
"We got to bring in competitive edge," Morris said Monday. "We got go out there and look. We got to go out there and bring in people to compete. We'll do that accordingly like we always do. But it definitely creates more of a sense of urgency to have that competitive edge for Koo, for all of us, and to put ourself in those positions to do the right thing for our football team at all costs. Now, that's where we're at."
The Falcons already have rookie Lenny Krieg on their practice squad as the international player. Krieg signed with the team back in May after impressing special teams coordinator Marquice Williams at the 2025 NFL Combine. Krieg played in all three of the Falcons' preseason games but only kicked field goals in their first. He was good from 57 yards out but missed from 53.
Morris made it clear the Falcons will also look outside the building for veterans or up-and-comers to workout as soon as Tuesday.
In the meantime, Koo remains their kicker as Week 2 prep begins.
"That's above me, right?" Koo said. "I'm just going to go out there and try to put the work in and see where it goes."
