NFL Player News
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Younghoe Koo K | NYG
Falcons' Younghoe Koo: Struggles in 2024
Koo (hip) finished the 2024 regular season connecting on 25 of 34 field-goal attempts and all 26 of his extra-point tries across 14 games.
Koo connected on at least 86 percent of his field-goal attempts in the five seasons prior to 2024 and was one of the league's most accurate kickers over that span. He started out making all nine of his field-goal attempts over the first four games of the regular season, but he went just 8-for-15 on his field-goal tries over the next six contests, including 1-for-4 in Week 10 against the Saints. Part of Koo's accuracy issues may have been due to him attempting to play through a right hip injury, which ultimately placed him on IR in mid-December and led to the Falcons signing Riley Patterson off the Browns' practice squad. With a full offseason ahead of him, Koo will look to fully recover from his injury and aim to bounce back in 2025.
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Jake Bates K | DET
Lions' Jake Bates: Makes solo FGA in loss
Bates connected on his only field-goal attempt while going 4-for-4 on PATs in Saturday's 45-31 NFC divisional-round playoff loss to the Commanders.
Bates was scarcely used again Saturday, making a 28-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to narrow the deficit to 45-31. The kicker had a highly successful rookie campaign with the Lions and he'll likely enter next season with no competition.
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Ka'imi Fairbairn K | HOU
Texans' Ka'imi Fairbairn: A day to forget in playoff loss
Fairbairn converted two of four field-goal attempts and missed his lone extra-point try in Saturday's 23-14 divisional-round playoff loss to Kansas City.
Fairbairn missed badly on a 55-yard field-goal attempt, which appeared to have been impacted by the winds blowing through Kansas City. He also had an attempt blocked and shanked an extra-point try. During the regular season, Fairbairn connected at an 86-percent rate (36 of 42) on field goals, 94-percent (34 of 36) on extra points, and was tied for fifth among kickers with 142 points. The 30-year-old is normally a reliable kicker, and none of Saturday's miscues should impact his status in 2025, the second year of a three-year extension signed in March 2024.
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Chad Ryland K | ARI
Cardinals' Chad Ryland: Steady in place of Prater in 2024
Ryland netted 28 of 32 field-goal attempts and 26 of 27 point-after tries in 13 appearances during the 2024 season.
Ryland lost a job battle against Joey Slye at the end of August in New England, but he was called upon by Arizona in early October to step in for the injured Matt Prater (knee) and ended up kicking for the rest of the Cardinals' campaign. His performance was a far cry from that of his rookie season with the Patriots, when he went just 16-for-25 on FGAs (along with 24-for-25 on PATs) in 17 contests. Ryland's 8.5 points per game ranked tied for sixth among kickers to play in at least nine outings, and he's now the only kicker under contract for Arizona next season. Considering his overall success in 2024, he may not face any competition for the starting gig this offseason.
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Zane Gonzalez K | ATL
Commanders' Zane Gonzalez: Takes every rep Wednesday
Gonzalez (hip) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
Gonzalez was listed as a limited participant Tuesday on Washington's first injury report of the week, but his ability to take every rep a day later clears up any concern about his status for Saturday's divisional-round game in Detroit. After connecting on five of seven field-goal attempts and 19 of 19 extra-point tries over his six appearances with Washington in the regular season, Gonzalez went a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks in this past Sunday's wild-card win over the Buccaneers. He nailed two point-after attempts and all three of his field goals, including a 37-yarder that clanged off the right upright and in for the game-winning points with no time remaining.
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Chris Boswell K | PIT
Steelers' Chris Boswell: Concludes career-best season
Boswell converted 41 of 44 field-goal attempts while making all 35 of his extra-point tries over 17 regular-season appearances with the Steelers in 2024.
Boswell was a bright spot for the Steelers during the 2024 campaign, as he set career-best marks in field goals made and makes from 50-plus yards while staying healthy for a second consecutive season. The 33-year-old still has two years remaining on his contract, and the Steelers are unlikely to be motivated to seek out another option ahead of the 2025 season given his production this year.
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Zane Gonzalez K | ATL
Commanders' Zane Gonzalez: Limited Tuesday with hip issue
Gonzalez was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice due to a hip injury.
Gonzalez connected on both of his extra-point attempts and all three of his field-goal tries -- including the game winner from 37 yards as time expired -- in the Commanders' 23-20 wild-card win over the Buccaneers, but he seems to have picked up a hip issue along the way. There's no indication yet he's in danger of missing Saturday's divisional-round matchup with the Lions, however. Washington doesn't currently have any other kickers on its active roster or practice squad.
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Will Reichard K | MIN
Vikings' Will Reichard: Shaky finish to rookie season
Reichard finished the 2024 season making 24 of 30 field-goal attempts and all 38 of his extra-point tries across 13 games with Minnesota.
A sixth-round pick out of Alabama in the 2024 NFL Draft, Reichard was a perfect 14 of 14 on field-goal tries and 23 for 23 on extra-point attempts through Week 8, but he suffered a quad injury during a Week 9 win over the Colts in which he missed both of his field-goal tries. Reichard missed the next four contests on injured reserve but wasn't the same after returning in Week 14. Reichard went 10 of 14 on field-goal attempts over the final five weeks. However, he did make his lone kick in the wild-card playoff loss to the Rams. Reichard figures to be in the mix as a top fantasy kicker next season, kicking for a team that will likely again put up plenty of points with coach Kevin O'Connell orchestrating the offense.
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Alex Hale K | GB
Packers' Alex Hale: Staying in Green Bay
Hale signed a reserve/future contract with the Packers on Monday.
Hale was designated as the Packers' International Player Pathway Program player after signing with Green Bay in early August and spent the entire 2024 season on the practice squad. He'll be able to participate in OTAs and minicamp over the summer and should have the opportunity to compete for the Packers' kicking duties for the 2025 campaign.
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Graham Gano K | NYG
Giants' Graham Gano: Plays in 10 games in 2024
Gano finished the regular season having gone 9-for-11 on field-goal attempts and 15-for-15 on extra-point tries over 10 contests.
For the second consecutive season, Gano missed a significant chunk of time, in this case due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 9. When he was healthy enough to play, the veteran placekicker was pretty accurate -- of his two field-goal misses, one was was blocked, and he converted both of his attempts from 50-plus yards -- though New York's tepid offense limited his opportunities. Gano should resume kicking duties for the Giants next season, when he'll be in the second year of the three-year contract extension he signed last September.