Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo issued a statement Wednesday about the metro Atlanta shootings that left eight people dead Tuesday.
Koo, who is from Seoul, South Korea, said he was “deeply saddened” by the shootings and said it is “time to address the rise in hate crimes against all races over the past few years.”
In his comments, Koo described hearing “jokes and name calling” directed toward Asian Americans. He said he hoped his post would “help raise awareness on hate crimes against all.”
Koo, who played at Georgia Southern, signed with the Falcons on Oct. 29, 2019. Last season, Koo made 37 of 39 field-goal attempts (94.9%), including 8 of 8 from at least 50 yards, and 33 extra-point attempts for a career-high 144 points in 15 games last season. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
Koo’s 37 made field goals led the NFL and surpassed Matt Bryant (35 in 2016, 2017) for the most made field goals in a single season in franchise history.
Koo also played for the Atlanta Legends of the short-lived Alliance of American Football early in 2019.
-Staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this article.
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