Key Takeaways
- He moved to the US at 12 to live with his mother, a nurse in New Jersey, while his father remained in Seoul as a professor at Induk University.
- Koo married his girlfriend, Ava Maurer, on April 8, 2023.
Younghoe Koo is a South American professional football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL).
Today, he stands out as an athlete and the second-highest-paid kicker in the league after signing a five-year contract extension with the Falcons.
Koo was born on August 3, 1994, in Soel, South Korea, to parents of South Korean identity.
When he was 12 years old, he moved to America to live with his mother, who worked as a nurse in New Jersey. His father remained in Seoul as a professor at Induk University.
No other information about his parents has been disclosed; however, what we do know is that they have tried their best to give their son a happy and prosperous life.
For @YounghoeKoo, a second chance in Atlanta is all he needed.
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) December 7, 2023
How a kid from South Korea became the NFL's leading kicker 🇰🇷 @AtlantaFalcons pic.twitter.com/aAxEwZdSqe
Adjusting to a new culture is hard, especially when you have no prior exposure whatsoever. Similarly, for Koo, it wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t really speak English. I had no idea what the kids were saying, so I just smiled and nodded.”
His mother seems to have supported his endeavors even when he played football for his high school in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Now, as Koo plays professionally, she seems to come to his game cheering for her son.
Koo’s father, a university professor, seems to be a highly educated man.
He chose to bear the separation from his child for the sake of his future, and now the sacrifice has brought its magic. Koo has become a star player, idolized by many.
Koo married his girlfriend, Ava Maurer, on April 8, 2023. They seem to have started dating in 2019, made public with an Instagram post on August 3, 2019, captioned “Best year to come.. 🙏❤️“
Details of their relationship remain undisclosed, but they seem to share a very loving relationship, having tied the knot after almost four years of dating.
From her Instagram, av_koo, she seemed to be a teacher in a school in Jersey.
She also seems to be in her fashion influencer era, posting various outfit of the day reels and lifestyle posts.
It was in this account that Koo’s wedding from the bridal perspective was featured.
People’s interest in Koo has gradually skyrocketed. With his outstanding gameplay and good personality, he seems to draw people in.
“While he assimilated into American culture, his parents instilled in him the values of hard work and dedication typical in many Korean households. They are Christians, and Koo has expressed how his faith guides him both on and off the field. His family sees his success as a triumph for the community as well.”
Via essentialsports
In an interview with CNN, Koo said,
“I think anybody, if they have a dream and just chase it and work hard, can set up a plan and go after it,” says Younghoe Koo, the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL.
"I think anybody, if they have a dream and just chase it and work hard, can set up a plan and go after it," says Younghoe Koo, the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL. https://t.co/kLfr6wiWE3 pic.twitter.com/STDMpHc2sB
— CNN (@CNN) September 12, 2022
He has tried to promote diversity within sports and also proved that sports can be a way to communicate and befriend people regardless of their background and language barriers.
“When people tell me they’re proud of me, that motivates me even more,” he states.
Koo has overcome many obstacles in his life, but those obstacles have made him even more confident and stronger.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- He was named MVP in his senior season with the Ridgewood High School football team.
- He studied at Georgia Southern University and concluded his college career by converting a record of 88.6% of his field goal attempts.
- Koo had previously signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2017 NFL draft.
