Younghoe Koo Bio
Younghoe Koo is a South Korean–American professional football placekicker recognized for his accurate field goal kicking and his rare ability to successfully execute onside kicks. He first reached the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017 as an undrafted free agent, became a starter for the Atlanta Falcons later that year, and currently plays for the New York Giants. A Pro Bowl selection in 2020, he has built a reputation as one of the most consistent kickers of his era.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Koo moved to the United States as a teenager and developed into a starting college kicker at Georgia Southern University. Across his professional career he has set team field goal records, led the league in scoring, and converted several game-winning kicks as time expired.
Early Life and Background
Younghoe Koo was born on August 3, 1994, in Seoul, South Korea. He grew up playing soccer and developed his kicking skills by winning a regional kicking competition in his home country before his family moved abroad. When he was twelve years old, Koo relocated to the United States to live with his mother, who had settled in New Jersey two years earlier to work as a nurse. His father remained in Seoul, where he worked as a professor at Induk University.
After settling in New Jersey, Koo attended Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, where he joined the football team and became a multi-phase contributor on special teams and defense. As a senior he was named team MVP, recording six interceptions on defense while handling kicking duties. His high school performance drew the attention of college programs looking for a reliable kicker.
Path to American Football
Koo committed to Georgia Southern University, where he spent four seasons as the placekicker for the Georgia Southern Eagles from 2013 to 2016. He quickly established himself as one of the most accurate kickers in program history, connecting on field goals and extra points at a high rate. In his final collegiate season, he earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors after converting 19 of 20 field goal attempts, a 95 percent success rate, and was named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top college kicker.
When Koo concluded his Georgia Southern career, he held school records for career field goal percentage at 89.7 percent and career extra point percentage at 96.9 percent. He finished ninth in school history with 140 career points. Although he went unselected in the 2017 NFL Draft, his accuracy and strong leg attracted interest from NFL teams in search of a placekicker.
Younghoe Koo Career
Early Career (2017)
Following the 2017 NFL Draft, Younghoe Koo signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent. He won the starting kicker job over incumbent Josh Lambo during the preseason and became only the fourth player in NFL history born in South Korea. His Chargers debut came on the road against the Denver Broncos in the season opener.
Koo’s rookie year proved short-lived. He missed a game-tying 44-yard field goal against the Broncos that was blocked, and a 44-yard attempt to win the following week’s game against the Miami Dolphins. After an 0-4 start, the Chargers waived Koo in favor of veteran kicker Nick Novak. In his brief Chargers tenure, Koo converted three of six field goal attempts and recorded eight touchbacks on fourteen kickoffs.
Atlanta Legends Era (2019)
After spending time away from professional football, Koo signed with the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) on January 14, 2019. He opened the league’s regular season on February 9, 2019, by drilling a 38-yard field goal against the Orlando Apollos to score the first points in AAF history. Koo quickly became the league’s most reliable kicker, converting all of his field goal attempts through the early portion of the schedule.
Koo sealed a 14-11 win over the Arizona Hotshots with a 33-yard game-winning kick and followed it with a 35-yard game winner against the Memphis Express to claim AAF Special Teams Player of the Week. He finished his AAF stint a perfect 14-for-14 on field goals before the league suspended operations in April 2019.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2019–2025)
Following the AAF’s collapse, Koo signed with the New England Patriots practice squad in October 2019 before being released eleven days later. On October 29, 2019, the Atlanta Falcons signed Koo after releasing longtime kicker Matt Bryant. In his Falcons debut, Koo made all four field goals, including a 48-yarder, and both extra points in a 26-9 upset of the New Orleans Saints, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Koo’s accuracy elevated him into one of the league’s elite kickers. In 2020 he made 32 of 33 field goals and 23 extra points to lead the NFL in scoring with 119 points, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He later signed a five-year, $24.25 million contract extension with the Falcons on March 15, 2022, and produced multiple game-winning field goals as time expired, including a 40-yarder against the New York Giants, a 41-yarder against the Carolina Panthers in overtime, and a 51-yarder against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Koo set a career long with a 58-yard field goal against the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury on December 18, 2024, and was released by Atlanta on September 19, 2025, after a slow start to the 2025 season.
New York Giants Era (2025–Present)
On September 23, 2025, the New York Giants signed Younghoe Koo to their practice squad. He made his first start for the Giants in Week 10 against an opponent after kicker Graham Gano was sidelined by injury, converting both of his field goal attempts and both extra points in the win. Koo’s stint with New York drew attention after a missed field goal attempt against the New England Patriots, in which his kicking foot never connected with the ball.
Following a Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders in which he missed two 54-yard field goal attempts, Koo was waived by the Giants on December 16, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Koo is known for his calm mechanics, repeatable approach, and consistent leg strength, which allow him to succeed from long range and in adverse weather. He has converted several kicks beyond 50 yards, including a career-long 58-yarder. He also excels at onside kicks, an increasingly rare and high-value skill, and has earned multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Month honors for his accuracy and situational kicking.
Notable Events and Milestones
Koo scored the first points in Alliance of American Football history in February 2019, converted the most field goals in the NFL in 2020, and was selected to the Pro Bowl that same season. He has produced multiple walk-off field goals as time expired, set the Atlanta Falcons franchise records for career field goals made and points scored by a kicker, and connected on a 58-yard career long in 2024.
Younghoe Koo Career Wins
Younghoe Koo has accumulated 185 made field goals on 217 attempts, a success rate of 85.3 percent, along with 186 of 194 extra point attempts through his NFL career. He has earned one Pro Bowl selection and multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Month awards.
NFL Highlights
Koo’s NFL career includes stops with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, the Atlanta Falcons from 2019 through 2025, and the New York Giants in 2025. His first NFL win came in his Falcons debut against the New Orleans Saints, and his most recent regular-season victory came with the Giants in Week 10 of the 2025 season. Koo’s most decorated campaign was 2020, when he led the NFL in scoring and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Other Wins and Performances
During his time with the Atlanta Legends of the AAF, Koo converted all 14 of his field goal attempts before the league folded. He was a Lou Groza Award finalist and first-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2016 at Georgia Southern, where he set school records for career field goal and extra point accuracy.
Younghoe Koo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Younghoe Koo was raised in Seoul, South Korea, before relocating to the United States as a teenager to join his mother in New Jersey. His father remained in South Korea, working as a professor at Induk University, while his mother supported the family as a nurse in the United States.
Personal Life
Koo married Ava Maurer in 2023. He splits his time between his professional base with his NFL team and his family.
2025 Season Performance
Younghoe Koo opened the 2025 season with the Atlanta Falcons, converting 2 of 3 field goals and both extra point attempts in a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before missing a 43-yard attempt that would have tied the game. He was benched the following week in favor of John Parker Romo and was released by the Falcons on September 19, 2025.
After a brief period as a free agent, Koo signed with the New York Giants’ practice squad on September 23, 2025. He made his Giants debut in Week 10 after Graham Gano’s injury, going a perfect two-for-two on field goals and two-for-two on extra points. His time with the Giants ended when he was waived on December 16, 2025, following two missed 54-yard attempts in a Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders.
Koo’s 2025 campaign highlights both his resilience and the volatility of life as an NFL kicker. Despite the abrupt endings in Atlanta and New York, he remains an experienced veteran with a proven track record of accuracy, long-range power, and game-winning performance under pressure.