The kicker was especially clutch once the weather turned cold.
Younghoe Koo began the 2022 season with some uncharacteristic misses, banking 10 of 13 field goal attempts in the first five games. Because this is Younghoe Koo we’re talking about, that didn’t last long, with Koo missing just two attempts over the final 12 games, including a perfect 12/12 over Atlanta’s final five contests.
That excellence, including several clutch kicks from beyond 50 yards, was enough to propel Koo to a season-ending NFC Special Teams Player of the Month award for December and January.
As Scott Bair notes in the linked article above, this is Koo’s second Player of the Month honor, joining Matt Ryan, Matt Bryant, and Morten Andersen as the only Falcons to earn the honor twice. Koo was 14th in the NFL this year in field goal percentage at 86.5%, but 5th in attempts, 5th in makes, and 7th in converted attempts from beyond 50 yards. If statistically it was a little bit of a weaker season for Koo, he remains one of the better kickers in the NFL, and he was characteristically lights out past the early part of the year.
Koo is under contract for the long haul and is charging up the franchise leaderboards, as he’ll likely move to third all-time in attempts in 2023 and remains the most accurate kicker in team history with more than 50 attempts. The Falcons are fortunate to have him, and we offer him a hearty congratulations for the latest recognition for his excellence.
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