The Atlanta Falcons are set to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 2. The team has many exciting aspects, from Kirk Cousins and the offense to Jessie Bates and the defense.
However, despite all of that, one of the most reliable players on the team is their kicker, Younghoe Koo. On top of just being a good player, Koo is breaking barriers in terms of his ethnicity.
What is Koo’s ethnicity?
What Is Younghoe Koo’s Ethnicity?
While there are many players from all over the place in the NFL, there aren’t many who have Koo’s background. From not knowing any English to being cut, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the veteran kicker.
A South Korean native, Koo is one of four Korean-Americans to ever play in the NFL. At 12 years old, he immigrated to Ridgewood, N.J., where he began his football journey.
According to Koo, he had won a soccer kicking competition in Seoul before moving, but it was his new American classmates who found out he could kick and taught him football.
“During a lunch break, kids were playing two-hand-touch football,” said Koo on the Bill Simmons Podcast in 2017. “They said, ‘Punt it,’ because they knew I played soccer. And they saw me punt the ball, and they were like, ‘Oh man. Look at this kid! You should come out and play football with us.’ And that’s how I signed up for football.”
Ultimately, by eighth grade, Koo was the kicker for Benjamin Franklin Middle School. He was simultaneously learning English and making friends. It was actually Koo’s father who pushed him to play football over soccer in high school.
“My middle school coach, my teammate’s dad, came to my house and told my dad, ‘He has a future in [football],'” said Koo. “Because my dad looked at it like I was just kicking a football. But my middle school explained to my dad, ‘You can get a scholarship, and you can have a future in this.'”
THE FALCONS WIN IT ON YOUNGHOE KOO'S FG 💪
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— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 8, 2023
Ultimately, Koo landed a full scholarship to Georgia Southern University, where he became a Lou Groza Award finalist. He later signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017, but was waived. After a couple more stops, he landed on the Falcons, where he is now.
Now, with his job solidified, Koo can appreciate his heritage as one of just the 2% of the NFL that is Asian-American.
“I am most proud of the fact that South Korea is such a small country, but we are into so many different things,” said Koo in a video during AAPI Heritage Month, which is May.
“Growing up in Korea, it was definitely a little different than it is in America. I did play soccer growing up in Korea,” Koo added. “I think my parents saw the athleticism and potential there, so I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I got and that was the bridge for me with the culture gap and language barrier.”
“It helped me immerse myself into a new culture and adapt. Two percent of the NFL is made up of Asian-Americans, and to be a part of that is an honor, and it’s a blessing, and I’m just grateful for other people that helped me get here.”
Ahead of the 2022 season, Koo signed a five-year, $24.25 million extension with the Falcons. He got a $6.25 million signing bonus with $11.5 million guaranteed. He’s locked in with the team until 2027, when he becomes a free agent at 33 years old.