The Falcons had Kicker Parker Romo travel all the way to Minnesota for the game against the Vikings. And the kicker didn’t disappoint. That said, the team still has its primary kicker, Younghoe Koo, on the roster. After benching the Falcons player, the team hasn’t commented on the situation yet. However, after Romo’s debut, the coach had high words of praise for the kicker

He had five field goals in the game against the Vikings. As Terrin Waack reported, “Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on kicker Parker Romo: “He stepped up tonight. … You worry about moving forward when you move forward tomorrow.” It is still unclear whether the new kicker will have the opportunity to secure the job long-term or if Koo’s benching is temporary.

The South Korean player was benched after missing a game-tying 44-yard field goal in the last few seconds of the Falcons’ 23-20 Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The player struggled last season while dealing with a hip injury, making just 73.5% of his field goals. That was his worst record since 2017, when he converted only 50% of his kicks in four games with the Los Angeles Chargers. As for the game against the Vikings, Koo is healthy, which raises the question of whether the Falcons are considering moving on from him.

Moreover, the coach’s earlier comments about the kicker hint that he expects him to step up when the team needs him. “You either make it or you don’t, and we’ve got to have guys in a position to make them. And there’s no real coaching points there. Obviously, there’s kicking aspects and there’s points of those coaching things that they want to do and all those things. But for us, from a fan standpoint, a coach’s standpoint, everything else, you either make them or you don’t,” he said.

The 31-year-old joined in 2019 and was named a Pro Bowler in 2020. Back in March 2022, Koo signed a five-year extension valued at $24.25 million. Koo also touched upon it and said, “The frustration just came out of just disappointment in myself and knowing that I know I’m better than that. On top of that, I let the guys down,” he said. Koo wasn’t able to do that in Week 1. In his absence, Romo stepped up and contributed right away.

The Falcons were impressed with Parker Romo

Romo was elevated from the practice squad, and his field goals are tied for the second most a Falcons kicker has made in a game. The player last saw game action with the Vikings in Week 13 of last season. Romo’s only regular-season experience came last year with the Vikings, where he appeared in four games and went 11-of-12 on field goals, including a long of 55 yards.

Before that, he played in the XFL for the San Antonio Brahmas in 2023, where he made 17 of 19 field goals across 10 games.

His last stint was with the Patriots, where he competed with rookie Andy Borregales for the kicking job. As the latter won the job, Romo was released in the team’s final roster cuts. He has a chance to secure a spot in the Falcons. However, the team is yet to comment.