Since being released by the Atlanta Falcons, Younghoe Koo has stumbled into opportunity after opportunity. First it was with the New York Giants, who could not bear to continue with Koo after his viral missed field goal (and two misses the following week), but the other New York team wants a turn.
SNY's Connor J. Hughes reported yesterday afternoon that the New York Jets were signing the former Pro Bowl kicker, which checks out for a franchise that reeks of desperation. They're desperate to be relevant again, and they're clinging on to any hope they can find, and that includes a kicker who's been among the league's worst since the start of 2024.
Koo's Week 1 missed field goal was so bad the Falcons cut him in favor of a guy who entered Week 2 with four career starts under his belt. And as wild as it sounds, Parker Romo (and later Zane Gonzalez) were better than him (though that's a low bar), and the dramatic fall from grace for a former fan favorite is getting ugly if he has to turn to Gang Green to revive his career.
Younghoe Koo is now in NFL purgatory after being cut by the Falcons
The end of his stint with the Dirty Birds was pathetic. His entire stint with the Giants was pathetic. But perhaps the most pathetic thing about the 31-year-old is having compete for a roster spot for the redheaded step child of the NFL. But this marriage also makes way too much sense for both sides.
In 2020 and 2021 the 31-year-old was elite, drilling over 90% of his field goals in both years, but this was already a half-decade ago. But holding onto false hope is what the Jets do best. After all, their 15-year playoff drought isn't just the longest in the NFL, it's the longest in North American sports.
I understand that Younghoe Koo is a literal lifesaver, but he won't be playing superhero on Sundays with how he performs in clutch time. Statistically speaking, he's one of the least clutch kickers in NFL history and my heart genuinely skipped a beat when I had to watch him kick these last two years.
Other than the fact it's for the biggest dumpster fire of a franchise in sports, good for the Geoorgia Southern product in landing another shot. He played high school football in New Jersey and doesn't have to move to lose at MetLife Stadium. But I'm not sure who's more foolish for picking up the phone.
Koo is going to compete with Cade York to be the Jets' starting kicker after their former starter, Nick Folk, signed with the Falcons in free agency. So in a weird way, if he has anyone to thank for him his second lease on life--albeit in NFL purgatory--, it's the team that cut him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google