The New York Giants added veteran kicker Younghoe Koo to their practice squad, a move that hits close to home for the 30-year-old former Pro Bowler. Koo signed with New York on Tuesday, coming off his release from the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 19, which concluded his seven seasons in Atlanta. He joined the Giants after kicker Graham Gano went down with a groin injury during pregame warmups ahead of their Week 3 clash with the Kansas City Chiefs, which ended in a 22-9 loss.
Koo, born on Aug. 3, 1994, in Seoul, South Korea, moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey, at age 12. He attended Ridgewood High School, where he played football and soccer, taking home team MVP honors as a senior while contributing six interceptions on defense.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Koo said on Thursday. “But it is definitely a little more special that I grew up in Ridgewood. Moving to Ridgewood from Korea when I was in middle school and then making friends here and all that stuff, and being raised in Ridgewood, it is definitely special, for sure.”
Younghoe Koo moved from South Korea to Ridgewood, NJ when he was in middle school
He says it's "special" to now return to the area with the Giants pic.twitter.com/mP5dDUEjsG
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 25, 2025
Ridgewood sits just 13 miles north of MetLife Stadium, where the Giants will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, a homecoming of sorts for Koo, who has never missed a kick at MetLife Stadium in his pro career. He went 3-for-3, including two field goals and the game-winner, in his only previous game there with the Falcons on Sept. 26, 2021.
Koo’s professional journey began after four seasons at Georgia Southern University, where he converted 88.6 percent of his field-goal attempts, a school record, and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2016. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Chargers in 2017, briefly spent time in the Alliance of American Football with the Atlanta Legends in 2019, and joined the Falcons later that year.
During his tenure in Atlanta, Koo became the team’s third all-time leading scorer with 700 points, achieved Pro Bowl honors in 2020, and went 85.8 percent on field goals and 96.2 percent on extra points over 93 career NFL games. He ranks 13th on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard in field-goal percentage (minimum 100 attempts).
New York special teams coach Michael Ghobrial pointed to Koo’s steady leg and proven track record as the deciding factor behind the signing. While Koo competes with rookie Jude McAtamney to step into Gano’s shoes, his clutch kicks, onside wizardry, hometown roots, and pro experience make him a real asset for the Giants.
