Younghoe Koo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Younghoe Koo

Koo with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022
No. 6 – Atlanta Falcons
Position:	Placekicker
Personal information
Born:	(1994-08-03) August 3, 1994 (age 31) Seoul, South Korea
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ridgewood (Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.)
College:	Georgia Southern (2013–2016)
Undrafted:	2017
Career history
Los Angeles Chargers (2017) Atlanta Legends (2019) New England Patriots (2019)* Atlanta Falcons (2019–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2020) NFL scoring co-leader (2020) First-team All-Sun Belt (2016)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Field goals made: 179 Field goals attempted: 208 Field goal percentage: 86.1 Longest field goal: 58 Touchbacks: 91
Player stats at PFR

Younghoe Koo (pronounced YUNG-way; born August 3, 1994) is a professional football player. He is a placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League (NFL). In 2020, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl and was one of the top scorers in the league. He is also known for being very good at onside kicks.

Before joining the NFL, Koo played college football for the Georgia Southern Eagles. He was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2016, which is given to the best college kicker. He first signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. After a short time with the Chargers, he played for the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football (AAF). His success there led him back to the NFL with the Falcons.

Younghoe Koo's Early Life

Younghoe Koo was born in Seoul, South Korea, on August 3, 1994. When he was young, he played soccer and even won a kicking competition in South Korea. At age 12, he moved to the United States to live with his mother. She had moved to New Jersey two years earlier to work as a nurse. His father stayed in Seoul as a professor.

Koo played on the football team at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey. In his final year, he was named the team's most valuable player (MVP). He played on special teams and also on defense, where he made six interceptions.

College Football Journey

Koo played four years of college football for the Georgia Southern Eagles at Georgia Southern University. In his last season, he was named a first-team all-conference player in the Sun Belt Conference. That year, he made 19 out of 20 field goal attempts.

He was also a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. This award goes to the best college kicker in the country each year. By the end of his college career, Koo had made 88.6% of his field goal attempts. This was a record for Georgia Southern.

Professional Football Career

Starting with the Los Angeles Chargers

After the 2017 NFL draft, Koo signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the draft but was signed afterward. He won the starting kicker job for the team. Koo became only the fourth NFL player ever to be born in South Korea.

In his first NFL game in 2017, Koo tried a 44-yard field goal to tie the game against the Denver Broncos. But the kick was blocked, and the Chargers lost. The next week, he missed a 44-yard kick that would have won the game against the Miami Dolphins.

Even though he made all his kicks in the next two games, the Chargers released him after Week 4. They replaced him with an experienced kicker. The coach said Koo was talented and would likely have a long NFL career.

Playing in the AAF

On January 14, 2019, Koo joined the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football (AAF). He scored the very first points in AAF regular season history with a 38-yard field goal.

Later, he kicked two field goals, including a 33-yard game-winner, to help the Legends win their first game. The next week, he made all three of his kicks, including a 35-yard game-winner with only nine seconds left. He was named the AAF Special Teams Player of the Week for this. The AAF league stopped playing games in April 2019. Koo had made all 14 of his field goal attempts that season.

Joining the Atlanta Falcons

Koo in 2019

After the AAF stopped, Koo briefly joined the New England Patriots practice squad in October 2019 but was released soon after.

On October 29, 2019, the Atlanta Falcons signed Koo. In his first game with the Falcons, he made all four of his field goals and both of his extra points. This helped the Falcons win against the New Orleans Saints. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his great performance.

In Week 13, Koo successfully kicked three onside kicks against the Saints, though one was called back due to a penalty. In Week 14, he made four field goals, including a 50-yard kick, and recovered a fumble. He earned his second NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for this game.

2020 Season Highlights

On February 18, 2020, Koo signed a new contract with the Falcons. He had many strong performances throughout the 2020 season. In Week 12, he made a career-high 5 field goals in a big win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November.

By Week 13, Koo was the NFL's leading scorer. He had made 32 of 33 field goals and 23 extra points. On December 20, 2020, Koo was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He signed another contract extension with the Falcons in March 2021.

2021 Season Highlights

Koo in 2021

Koo continued to be a clutch kicker in 2021. In Week 3, he made a 40-yard field goal as time ran out to beat the New York Giants. He made another game-winning field goal in Week 7 against the Dolphins. In Week 9, he made his third game-ending field goal of the season against the Saints.

2022 Season Highlights

On March 15, 2022, Koo signed a five-year contract extension with the Falcons. In Week 8, he made a 41-yard field goal in overtime to win the game against the Panthers. In Week 17, he made another game-winning field goal against the Arizona Cardinals as time expired. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December and January.

2023 Season Highlights

Koo continued his streak of game-winning kicks in 2023. In Week 2, he kicked a go-ahead field goal with less than a minute left to beat the Green Bay Packers. In Week 5, he kicked a field goal as time expired to win against the Houston Texans. For the third time that season, in Week 7, he kicked a game-winning 51-yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He earned this award again in Week 16 after making all five of his field goals against the Indianapolis Colts.

2024 Season Highlights

In Week 4 of the 2024 season, Koo made all four of his field goals against the New Orleans Saints. This included a career-long 58-yard field goal in the final seconds to help the Falcons win. The next week, he hit a 52-yard field goal to tie the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which the Falcons later won in overtime. On December 18, 2024, Koo was placed on injured reserve due to a hip injury.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Personal Life

Younghoe Koo married Ava Maurer in 2023.

See also

In Spanish: Younghoe Koo para niños