The Atlanta Falcons have benched their longtime kicker. The staff introduced Saturday that kicker Younghoe Koo has been downgraded to out for Sunday evening’s recreation on the Minnesota Vikings.
In his place, Parker Romo has been elevated from the follow squad. The Falcons signed Romo, a Georgia native who kicked for the Minnesota Vikings final season, on Tuesday.
Koo missed a 44-yard discipline objective within the closing seconds final week that might have tied the Falcons’ recreation in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 23. Koo made 2 of three discipline targets in opposition to the Bucs, however one caromed off the appropriate upright. Koo being dominated out is just not harm associated.
Koo, who missed time final season due to a hip harm, is simply 12-of-20 on discipline targets over his previous 9 video games. Koo, 31, missed 9 discipline targets final yr, making simply 73.5%, his worst share since changing into a full-time kicker with Atlanta in 2019.
Koo was as soon as essentially the most correct kicker within the league, however now, amongst kickers with 20 or extra discipline objective makes an attempt for the reason that begin of 2024, Koo ranks No. 29 out of 31 in discipline objective share (73%). Romo, 28, was 11-of-12 on discipline targets final yr in 4 video games for Minnesota, his first alternative to kick within the NFL.
Romo spent coaching camp with the New England Patriots, however was launched on cut-down day. In 2023, he led the XFL in discipline objective share (17-of-19, 89.5%).
