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Instead of letting kicker Younghoe Koo hit the open market, the Falcons are keeping him in Atlanta with a five-year extension worth $24.25 million.
According to ESPN, his new payday at an average of $4.85 million per year makes him the second-highest-paid kicker in the NFL, behind Baltimore Raven’s Justin Tucker’s $5 million per year.
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The Pro Bowl Kicker
Koo, 27, initially entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers. He struggled early on having made just three of six field goal attempts after appearing in four games before getting waived.
From there, he spent time with the Atlanta Legends and on the practice squad of the New England Patriots before the Falcons signed him in in the midst of the 2019 season. Koo made an immediate impact, converting 23 of 26 field goal attempts and 15 of 16 extra points and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the week, not once, but twice.
His best season yet came in 2020 where he earned himself Pro Bowl honors after making 37 of 39 field goal attempts (94.9 percent), including eight of eight from at least 50 yards. His 37 made field goals led the NFL and surpassed Matt Bryant (35 in 2016 and 2017) for the most field goals in a single season in Falcons’ franchise history. He also converted 33 of 36 extra point attempts for a career-high 144 points.
He made more team history as he converted 27 consecutive field goals between Week 4 and Week 15 of the 2020 season, the longest in-season streak in franchise history and the second-longest streak in the league. Koo also became the first player to make at least eight field goals of 50-or-more yards without a miss.
It’s clear that Koo has been one of the Falcons’ highlights. He signs his new deal fresh off of making 27 of 29 field-goal attempts in 2021 while converting on 100 percent of his extra points.
Koo’s Journey to American Football Began in the 6th Grade
Koo once told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC in an interview about his futbol-to-football journey.
He moved to the United States in sixth grade, having no idea what football was until he joined his classmates who were playing touch football during recess. One day, he punted the ball incredibly far which shocked the kids, who then convinced him into playing organized football. And that’s where it all began.
By 7th grade, Koo was kicking on the football team. He had already come to the U.S. as an experienced soccer player, so, to him, it was just a different type of ball he was working with.
He told Ledbetter during the interview that he had no clue being good at football could lead to a scholarship and eventually the pro league until his middle school coach explained it to his parents.
At Ridgewood High in New Jersey, Koo caught the attention of former Georgia Southern coach, Jeff Monken, who recruited Koo. Koo would go on to become the first kicker in Georgia Southern’s history to be named a finalist for the Lou Graza Award––presented annually to College Football’s best placekicker. He also set a school record, making 31 attempts out of 35 and was added to the All-Sun Belt team.
After going undrafted in 2017 and a few short-term yeses and a lot of nos, he’s here to stay in Atlanta.
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