New York Jets fans, prepare your apology form.
The Atlanta Falcons are releasing veteran placekicker Nick Folk, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz shared on X on Tuesday, November 10.
Folk struggled mightily this season, going 13-of-18 on his field goal attempts. That 72.2% field goal conversion rate is the fifth-worst mark in the NFL this year, per ESPN.
This past offseason, Folk signed a two-year, $9 million contract that included $4 million guaranteed.
“Here’s what happened, according to people familiar with the situation. Folk wanted to remain in New York. The Jets, mindful of his age (41), offered a one-year contract. No word on the amount, but it probably was similar to what he made last season on a one-year deal ($3.25 million, including incentives),” ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained.
Cimini shared on the “Jets Collective” podcast during the offseason that Folk and the Jets were about “a million” apart in contract negotiations.
Folk was coming off his third straight season of leading the league in field goal conversion rate. The Jets’ decision to let Folk walk out the door for an inconsequential amount drew the ire of NYJ fans on social media.
ESPN New York’s Jake Asman called the Jets’ decision to let Folk walk out the door “inexcusable” and said this kicker situation for the team was a “major problem.”
He wasn’t the only one who was angry. Plenty of Jets fans let Darren Mougey have it for what they perceived to be a massive mistake by the green and white.
“And the jets lost their best player,” Pardon My Meme posted after Folk signed with the Falcons.
“As many great moves general manager Darren Mougey made this offseason, this one could really end up biting him as the Jets continue to look for stability at the kicker position with training camp a little more than a month away,” Charlie Baduini wrote for The Jet Press.
Apparently Not
After letting Folk go, the Jets went on quite the kicker carousel over several months trying to find a replacement.
They stumbled into Jason Sanders, who was released by the New York Giants and joined the green and white in June.
Sanders has made 21 field goals so far this season, which is the third most in the NFL.
“Nick Folk released. Jason Sanders is 21/24 this season. Turns out the Jets made the right kicker decision after all,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic posted.
The victory lap for Mougey probably won’t be as loud, considering the team is 2-7 through the first nine weeks of the 2026 season. It was an unpopular decision to not bring Folk back, but the Jets’ instincts were correct.
Folk just turned 42 in November. Despite his recent success, Father Time is undefeated. The Jets bet on Folk falling apart eventually, and they were correct.
So put a victory in the Mougey column for his decision to bail on Folk in free agency. However, the Jets have plenty of their own issues to worry about that go well beyond the placekicker.
Jets Fans Rushing to Apologize After Falcons Cut Ex-Pro Bowler