Former pro soccer player Lenny Krieg puts Falcons' Younghoe Koo's future in uncomfortable spot

The Atlanta Falcons are in the midst of a rare position battle at kicker — something that hasn’t happened in quite some time. Younghoe Koo has held the starting job for several years, but former professional soccer player Lenny Krieg is making a serious push to take over.

“Krieg has a legitimate shot to win the starting job over Koo, who is scheduled to make $4.25 million in 2025, making him the fourth-highest-paid kicker in the league. Koo, who turns 31 in August, made just 73.5% of his field-goal attempts last season, his lowest percentage since his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, when he made just 50% and lost the job after four games,” Fox Sports’ Eric Williams wrote.

Koo is aiming for a bounce-back season and is focused on proving he still belongs among the league’s best.

“I'm ready to get back to what I know I'm capable of: being the best in the league," Koo said. "I know I can do that, just going back to the process of what I do, and yeah, I'll get back to that for sure."

Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams came to Koo’s defense regarding some of his missed kicks last season.

“If Stephen Curry were to shoot a (3-point shot), and the guy blocked it, does that count as a missed 3 or does it count as a blocked 3?” Williams said. “Yeah. So, OK, he missed seven (because two of the nine misses were blocked). Two years prior, he missed five. Not making excuses or anything like that, but that’s not all on him when it comes to that.”

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On Sunday, Krieg added more intrigue to the battle.

“Lenny Krieg went 5-5 on his kicks, including two from 50+ and a 56-yard long,” The Falcoholic’s Adnan Ikic wrote.

While Koo missed a field goal, Krieg continues to give everything he’s got — and it’s clear the competition is heating up. With Koo carrying a sizable cap hit, the Falcons could view Krieg as not only a legitimate challenger but also a potential cost-saving replacement. It’s a high-stakes battle that may come down to consistency and value.