Latest news with #TerryFontenot
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
‘The brutal, honest truth' about the Falcons' international kicking competition
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Younghoe Koo knew his job was up for grabs before the Atlanta Falcons signed Lenny Krieg in March. He knew his job was up for grabs before he had the worst season of his career in 2024. He has known his job was up for grabs since the moment he got it with the Falcons in 2019. 'You're always competing,' Koo said. 'You're always getting evaluated.' Advertisement He knows that because he spent almost two years out of the NFL after getting cut by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, when he was trying to do what Krieg is aiming to do now — take one of the league's 32 jobs. 'It's not the first time having a kicker in the locker room with me,' Koo said. 'It's just kind of how it is in the NFL. (Krieg) is a great dude. He works hard. Competition is always good. You're always competing, whether somebody is physically here or not.' The Falcons ranked 31st in the league in field goal percentage last year (70.7), and general manager Terry Fontenot said fixing it was a priority entering the offseason. Koo missed three field goals in a 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 10 and another one in a 17-13 loss to the Chargers in Week 13. After Atlanta placed Koo on injured reserve, Riley Patterson missed a 56-yarder that would have beaten the Washington Commanders in Week 17 and a 52-yarder that would have given the Falcons a lead in the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers in Week 18. 'We missed entirely too many kicks (last) year, that's the brutal, honest truth. That can't happen,' coach Raheem Morris said. 'We have to find a way to make those kicks. That plays into not winning the amount of games you want to win.' Koo is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $24 million deal signed before the 2022 season, which he earned on the strength of the 2019-2021 seasons, when he was the second-most accurate kicker in the league (97-for-104, 93.2 percent) behind only Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, Koo was 35th among kickers (73.5 percent) after missing a career-worst nine field goals (25 for 34). Falcons special teams coordinator Marquice Williams said he believes Koo will return to his previous form this year because he never saw Koo's fundamentals or preparation slip last season, despite the lack of results. Advertisement 'I like his process and I know his process and I know how he prepares every single day and every single week,' Williams said. 'He'll put his best foot forward.' Koo spent the final four weeks of last season on IR with a hip muscle injury. 'I have dealt with it before,' he said. 'It was sore for a while, but it wasn't really affecting my swing that much. It just progressively got worse, so I decided to shut it down.' Koo has returned to full health and is on pace with his normal offseason schedule, which includes kicking twice a week this time of year. He plans to attend all Falcons voluntary OTAs this month to work out with his teammates and said he is happy to have Krieg alongside. Krieg is Atlanta's most interesting offseason addition. The 22-year-old German didn't kick a football until 2020 when his older brother, Jaycee, an American football coach in Germany, convinced him to see if he could turn his soccer background into a football future. Mr. Lenny Krieg. 🇪🇺🦵 — European League of Football (@ELF_Official) March 28, 2025 Lenny Krieg kicked for the Berlin Adler of the German Football League in 2021 and was then signed by the Stuttgart Surge of the European League of Football in 2022 and 2023. On most days during those three years, the fields his teams used for practice didn't have uprights, Krieg said, so he kicked over the soccer goals. 'Just imagination,' he said. Krieg's big break came in December 2024 when he was accepted to the NFL's International Player Pathway program, which led to an invitation to the NFL combine. 'It was pretty special,' Krieg said. 'My whole life changed after that call.' Krieg quit school and his real estate job and began to focus all his attention on football. At the combine, he made every kick with Williams on the field watching, which is what first got him on the Falcons' radar. Williams and Falcons special teams assistant Steven King then attended Krieg's pro day at the University of South Florida, and the Falcons signed him to a three-year contract the next day. Advertisement As a member of the IPP program, Krieg can remain on the team without counting against the league's roster limits, so Atlanta is incentivized to keep him around at least through the 2025 season. Whether he can eventually replace Koo is an open question. 'I'm just going to keep working, keep improving, make the most out of it, take it day by day and see where it takes me,' Krieg said. The competition won't just be decided on who makes the most practice kicks, Williams said. 'It's everything,' the coach said. 'It's your preparation, your process, how you operate, how you carry yourself as a professional, your mindset, your fundamentals, your technique. As a kicker, you have to be likable, too, because there is going to be a time you're going to miss a kick. It's going to happen. How are your teammates going to treat you? Are they going to be encouraging you, or are they going to be walking away from you? That's a huge part of it.' Koo didn't need the addition of Krieg to convince him this is an important offseason. 'Last year's performance, whether because of injury or not, was a motivating factor for me, but every season I try to reset and work hard,' Koo said. 'I'm always working on myself and trying to be the best version of myself, and I can live with the result.' (Photo of Younghoe Koo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Falcons' $180m quarterback Kirk Cousins shuns team amid tense standoff
Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris has revealed that Kirk Cousins is absent from the team's first day of OTAs on Tuesday. Cousins is hoping to be traded away this offseason after losing his place as the team's starting quarterback to Michael Penix Jr. in December. The former Minnesota Vikings player only joined the Falcons 12 months ago and signed a huge four-year, $180million contract. Cousins did surprise some observers last month when he showed up for the first day of the team's voluntary offseason program. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said then: 'This is a voluntary thing. Whether a player comes or doesn´t come we have a lot of good professionals who we know are going to take care of their bodies, including Kirk.' Fontenot has said the team is comfortable in having Cousins, 36, remain with the team as the backup to Penix Jr., the team's 2024 first-round pick. But Morris said the team is open to listening to trade offers. Cousins led the Falcons to a 6-3 start last season but lost his job after struggling with interceptions. Fontenot refuted a report the Falcons were asking any team trading for Cousins to pick up $20 million of his remaining guaranteed salary. 'We haven't put a number on it,' Fontenot said. 'We wouldn´t share specific conversations, but to answer your question we wouldn´t put a specific number on it.' The Falcons could have saved a $10m roster bonus by releasing Cousins. Instead, he is guaranteed $27.5m, plus the $10m bonus, in 2025. The Falcons were 1-2 with Penix as the starter for an 8-9 final record.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot Aggressiveness During NFL Draft Must Yield Immediate Results
After some outlets are giving the Atlanta Falcons an "A" with this year's draft class, it's now or never. The "I's" were dotted and the "T's" were crossed for Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot in this year's NFL Draft. Needs were addressed, and the team drafted a Georgia Bulldogs player in the first round. Now, it's time for all of the hype surrounding this offseason to be put to the test on the field. Advertisement Entering his fifth season with Atlanta, Fontenot has gone all in. The gloves are off, and his seat has been relatively warm for a couple of seasons. The pressure has been mounting for some time for Atlanta to get back to relevancy, and at a minimum, get to the playoffs year to year. Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Falcons swapped their 2026 first-round pick, a second for a third, and sent a seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to get back into the first round to select Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Critics say that Atlanta has given up entirely too much. Still, Atlanta has lacked a pass rush the past several seasons, so two high-projected edge rushers are better than one. The Falcons hope they get the results the team is looking for. Fontenot spent future capital to attempt to gain an immediate impact. He knows the team is out of excuses for why Atlanta is not a perennial playoff contender every year in the NFC South. Advertisement With no time to spare for Fontenot, the Falcons will look to develop this year's draft class to produce quickly, or he may be out of Atlanta sooner rather than later. Related: Atlanta Falcons Pick Up Drake London's 5th Year Option Related: Each Atlanta Falcons Draft Pick Offers Impact Potential
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons 'Inside The Rise' And How They Are Quietly Building A Super Bowl Contender
The Atlanta Falcons are building something special for years to come. Optimism is at an all-time high in and around Atlanta. Falcons fans are abuzz due to the aggressive nature Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has taken to address an ongoing epidemic of a dismal pass rush over the past few seasons. Advertisement Trading back into the first round of the NFL Draft would require the Falcons to give up some real estate regarding the draft. Still, team officials see it as warranted, given the team's "win now" mentality for the foreseeable future. Atlanta Falcons fans hold up Rise Up towels during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Raj Mehta-Imagn Images The term "Rise Up" has been a staple around Atlanta for Falcons fans for some time now, but the team is done with the ascent and ready to stay atop the NFC South division every year and be a playoff contender annually. Atlanta's draft picks are all capable of contributing immediately. The team has also hit the jackpot on its UDFA athletes, who have been invited to camp to make the team. Some would argue that a couple of the UDFAs should have heard their names called during the draft, but they may be lacking in an area or two that need tweaking in order to get a foot in the door and find NFL longevity. Advertisement Looking at the current roster, Atlanta has addressed its need for a pass rush by selecting Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr in the first round. It was an aggressive move to do so, but the Falcons feel they did what was necessary to make an immediate impact. Atlanta would also add a big-bodied offensive lineman, Jack Nelson, to help give quarterback Michael Penix Jr. ample time in the pocket, along with Jake Matthews. Atlanta would also draft a couple of ball-hawking defenders, such as Billy Bowman and Xavier Watts. Athletic depth is always a good thing in the secondary, but look for Watts as a starter in week one. Veteran-wise, the team has an extremely deep wide receiver and running back room. Penix Jr only started three games last season, but showed flashes of greatness with a good internal QB clock and a cannon of an arm. Matt Ryan has also been tasked to come in and be a mentor to Penix Jr. The Atlanta Falcons are building something special, but fans are eager to put it all to good use now and make this team a contender in the NFC. Related: The Time Is Now For Falcons GM Terry Fontenot After Aggressive NFL Draft Related: Which Player Was Named Most Likely UDFA To Make Falcons Roster?
USA Today
10-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL analyst lists Falcons among teams that must 'ace' 2025 draft
NFL analyst lists Falcons among teams that must 'ace' 2025 draft NFL analyst lists Falcons among teams that must 'ace' 2025 draft Right when the Atlanta Falcons got out of the mess that was Matt Ryan's contract, they let Kirk Cousins pull them back in. While the team should be out from under Cousins' contract by 2026, the veteran quarterback's cap hit severely hindered what Atlanta was able to do in free agency. This makes the upcoming 2025 NFL draft that much more important for the Falcons and general manager Terry Fontenot. The team has needs at edge rusher and center, however, Atlanta only has five selections in this year's draft. With just two picks in the top 100, Fontenot will need to find talent outside of Round 1. The Falcons have a nice core on offense, but the defense has some catching up to do if they plan on reaching the playoffs next season. released a new feature listing nine teams that must "ace" the 2025 NFL draft and Atlanta was an obvious choice. "They lack picks in Rounds 3, 5 and 6. Even their first-rounder comes in at No. 15, which doesn't guarantee they'll land a ready-made talent." wrote Eric Edholm. "The biggest issues appear to be on defense (although OT can't be ignored), and the Falcons risk falling even farther behind the Bucs in the NFC South. Raheem Morris might not be on the hot seat, but this will be a high-pressure draft for GM Terry Fontenot, his fifth in the captain's chair in Atlanta." Last year, the Falcons may have hit on the Michael Penix Jr. selection, but the rest of the draft class didn't make much of an impression. Even Penix appeared in just a handful of games. Despite trading up into the second round to select Clemson defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro, the team barely played him as a rookie before he suffered an injury late in the year. With the exception of fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier, Fontenot hasn't found many impact players outside of the first round. The team may trade back to acquire more draft picks, but if they stand pat, the Falcons really need to make sure they hit on the 15th and 46th overall selections. If Atlanta can find a few rotational/depth players in the fourth and seven rounds, that's about as good as fans can hope for. The Falcons are getting a few last-minute visits in ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. The team is set to meet with Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond and UCF cornerback BJ Adams.
