The Atlanta Falcons spent much of the 2025 season searching for stability on special teams. After a frustrating carousel at kicker and inconsistent field goal production, Atlanta appears to have found its solution…
Ironically, that solution is the same player who delivered one of the Falcons most painful moments last season. Veteran kicker Nick Folk agreed Monday to a two year contract with Atlanta, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Â
While playing for the New York Jets, the veteran kicker drilled a game winning field goal against the Falcons. The kick sealed a defeat that effectively ended Atlanta’s postseason hopes.
Now, just a few months later, the Falcons have decided they’d rather have Folk on their side than lining up against them… It’s not hard to see why. And it goes to show how quickly things can come full circle in the NFL world.
The Falcons are making big changes to their special teams core with the signing of Nick Folk and Jake Bailey
Despite entering his age 42 season, Folk remains one of the most dependable specialists in football. In 2025, he made 28 of 29 field goal attempts and made all of his extra points. Even more impressively, he has led the NFL in field goal percentage for three straight seasons.
Over the past three years combined, Folk has missed just three field goals. Two of those came from beyond 50 yards, a range where he has still gone an excellent 18 for 20 during that stretch.
For a Falcons team that experienced major inconsistency at kicker, Folk gives fans a lot to be excited about, especially after ranking third in kick value added (KVA) among all kickers in 2025. So even though Zane Gonzlez was good, the grizzled vet is a clear upgrade.
Atlanta didn’t stop with the kicker position… The Falcons also reached a deal with former Miami Dolphins punter Jake Bailey on a three year, $9 million contract that includes $5 million fully guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Bailey has averaged 46.9 yards per punt over the past three seasons, so the move gives the Falcons yet another experienced specialist to stabilize the unit. And he has connections to new special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, as they spent the season together in MIami.
Taken together, the additions of both Folk and Bailey showcase a clear (and very needed) reset for Atlanta’s special teams, especially since. Instead of entering 2026 with uncertainty at both positions, the Falcons now have two experienced veterans with proven production.
And in Folk’s case, Atlanta gets a kicker who has repeatedly demonstrated he can deliver in pressure moments, even if one of those moments once came at the Falcons’ expense. For a team looking to take the next step in the NFC, having that kind of reliability could make a difference in the close games that define playoff races.