Hometown Hero Returns: Why the New York Jets Just Signed Pro Bowl Kicker Younghoe Koo
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The New York Jets are turning up the heat on their special teams unit. In a move to solidify their specialist depth, the Jets are signing former Pro Bowl kicker Younghoe Koo to inject some veteran experience into an open roster competition.
The signing marks a compelling homecoming story for the veteran specialist, who first made a name for himself playing high school football right in the Garden State.
Inside the Jets’ Wide-Open Kicker Competition
With last season’s primary kicker, Nick Folk, heading south after signing a free-agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons in March, the Jets’ front office has officially reset the position.
Koo will not walk into a guaranteed starting job. Instead, the 31-year-old veteran enters a highly competitive training camp environment alongside two other roster hopefuls:
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Cade York
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Lenny Krieg
A Garden State Return: The Younghoe Koo File
Born in South Korea, Koo moved to the United States and attended Ridgewood High School in New Jersey, making this latest career move a true local homecoming.
After an impressive collegiate stint at Georgia Southern, Koo entered the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers. He truly found his footing with the Atlanta Falcons, anchoring their kicking game from 2019 through early last season. Most recently, he suited up for a five-game stretch with the New York Giants.
Over his career, Koo has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable legs. His impressive statistical resume includes:
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Field Goals: 185-of-217 career attempts converted
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Extra Points: 186-of-194 PAT tries successful
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Accolades: Selected to the NFL Pro Bowl during his dominant 2020 campaign
Moving Past the Infamous “Aborted” Kick
Jets fans are likely familiar with Koo’s viral moment from last December. Playing for the Giants in Week 13 during a heavy Monday Night Football loss to New England, Koo generated massive headlines when his foot completely missed the football on a field goal attempt.
Koo later cleared up the confusion, explaining that he noticed the ball moving or slipping off the hold as he made his final approach, forcing him to intentionally abort the kick rather than risk a disastrous block or turnover. With a clean operation expected in Florham Park, the Jets are banking on the precision that made him an elite scorer in the league.
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Tags: New York Jets, NFL Free Agency, Younghoe Koo, Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Sports, New York Sports, NFL Training Camp.
