One day after the Falcons failed to put away the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and lost an opener for the eighth time in 10 seasons, Atlanta has immediate plans to address the kicker position.
The Falcons missed a chance to begin the 2025 season with a victory over division rival and reigning NFC South champion Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers escaped with a 23-20 win on Sunday.
Head coach Raheem Morris said Monday the Falcons will host veteran kickers in a Tuesday workout that could decide the status of Younghoe Koo, who missed badly on a 44-yard field goal in the final seconds on Sunday and converted another try by banking it off an upright. He has six missed field-goal tries in six games.
Atlanta signed German kicker Lenny Krieg in the offseason before adding him to the practice squad to compete for the job with Koo.
Morris wasn’t ready to say Krieg is the immediate replacement, but Koo didn’t receive much of an endorsement despite the fact he became Atlanta’s kicker in 2019.
“You have to say that right now,” Morris said after being asked if Koo was the starter as of Monday. “Tomorrow, we’ll work out some veterans, a couple young guys. There are no secrets around here. There’s always going to be a highly competitive atmosphere.”
Special teams as a whole was a sore subject with Morris on Monday. Atlanta also allowed Kameron Johnson’s 54-yard punt return, setting up Tampa Bay’s second touchdown.
“We just didn’t play well enough on special teams,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters on Monday. “We’ve got to get better there. Missing that field goal, at that time, to tie it, it’s going to be one of the critical points we talk about. … We’ve got to bring a competitive edge. We’ve got to go out there and look for people to compete.”
Other areas of the roster were also not as productive as Morris would have liked in the loss.
Bijan Robinson was held to 24 rushing yards. The Atlanta defense – despite holding Tampa Bay to just 260 total yards – allowed Baker Mayfield to lead the Buccaneers down the field in just five plays en route to the game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Michael Penix Jr. threw for 298 yards and a touchdown, adding another score on the ground in his fourth career start. The 25-year-old put the Falcons in position to tie without wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who was inactive with a shoulder injury. Penix’s top target Drake London left in the fourth quarter on Sunday with a shoulder injury.
Morris didn’t have an update on London’s injury but is optimistic for a possible return against the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night.
“Drake is a tough human,” Morris said. “I feel good about it after talking to him, but I want some clarity.”
–Jack Batten, Field Level Media