No matter what the Atlanta Falcons do, it seems like they just can't figure out their kicking woes. Fans felt vindicated after John Parker Romo went 5-5 on field goal attempts in Week 2, but all of that confidence evacuated in a hurry—and now they might be back to square one.
Romo missed attempts from 49 and 55 yards in Atlanta's 30-0 blowout against the Panthers in Week 3 which set the Carolina offense with favorable field position. After Younghoe Koo missed a potential game-tying field goal in Week 1, Raheem Morris was candid when admitting competition would be brought in—and said the same earlier this week.
The Dirty Birds worked out kickers earlier this week before signing undrafted rookie Ben Sauls to the practice squad. The team still has Lenny Kreig on the practice squad, but Morris said Romo would again serve as the kicker in Week 4.
Morris: K Parker Romo will be the #Falcons kicker on Sunday.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 26, 2025
Parker Romo risks breaking historic Falcons ' kicking trend
Similar to how Morris is fighting to save his job this weekend, Romo is in a similar predicament. The Peachtree City native is set to make his seventh NFL start in Week 4 against the Commanders and is 16-for-19 on field goals in his career. His small sample size of NFL production suggests he should bounce back, though the leash remains short.
With Koo released and now in New York, the Falcons need the decision to move on from him to hit. However, serving as the encore to a former Pro Bowler is incredibly difficult—even if he endured a steep fall off last season.
However, Koo isn't the only reason the pressure is on. The Falcons have a storied history of adding productive kickers that are usually among the league's best. Both Koo and Matt Bryant are Pro Bowlers, while Morten Andersen is in the Hall of Fame and typically regarded as one of the best kickers in NFL history.
Following that lineage is no easy task, and right now Romo doesn’t look close to carrying the torch. Then again, when the Falcons found Koo, his career was on the ropes after an unsuccessful stint with the Chargers. He eventually emerged into one of the most reliable kickers in football for a few years, so maybe the name of the game is patience.
Don't be fooled: the Dirty Birds have a surplus of red flags, but this is what you would expect with a young roster. Growing pains are expected, so all fans can do is remain patient—as long as he returns to form in his Mercedes-Benz Stadium debut.