When the Atlanta Falcons released Younghoe Koo after Week 1, he wasted no time signing with the New York Giants' practice squad. It was previously expected that Koo would serve as the Giants' starting kicker with Graham Gano sidelined, but he managed to lose the kicker battle to Jude McAtamney at the eleventh hour.
However, in the Giants' 33-32 loss to the Denver Broncos, McAtamney missed two extra points, effectively losing Big Blue the game. The fact that the 31-year-old couldn't beat this guy out to begin with is concerning enough, but he's now forcing Brian Daboll to give him a look in Week 8.
The Pro Bowl kicker hasn't missed an extra point since 2023, but Koo coming off of the worst statistical season of his NFL career. Even while his reliability has faded over the years, it's becoming increasingly clear that he is deserving of a second shot—and fans should root for him to succeed.
Falcons fans can't help but root for Younghoe Koo to succeed in New York
While McAtamney is perfect on field goal attempts in 2025, Week 7 displayed that the 25-year-old is far from reliable. The missed kicks have lingered as the Giants' gross mismanagement at kicker has continued.
Koo is far from perfect—he missed a game-tying field goal for the Dirty Birds back in Week 1—but at least he has significantly more NFL experience than the alternative option. He's made 85.8% of his career field goal attempts, and has made 29 of his 40 (73%) of his attempts from beyond 50 yards.
The pedigree is there for the eight-year veteran, as he was once one of the best kickers in the NFL. His field goal percentage was above 90% in both 2020 and 2021, and that production alone warrants a second shot. Yes, his 73.5% conversion rate in 2024 marked a career-low, but sometimes a change of scenery is needed.
As for Atlanta, Parker Romo has been adequate, but they missed the Koo of years past—which remains a distant memory. He'll continue to draw interest on practice squads, but the choice to roll with someone else is a big reason as to why the Giants are 2-5 rather than 3-4.
Yes, squandering a 19-0 lead in 15 minutes while surrendering 33 fourth-quarter points is am embarrassment, but this is a game the Giants likely win if they had any trust in their kicking game. If only they had a Pro Bowler they could turn to in clutch moments.