Tag: John Parker Romo

Oct 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on the sideline against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Falcons back in kicker market after missed PAT doomed 3rd straight loss

Posted on | by Field Level Media

As the Atlanta Falcons’ freefall continues, head coach Raheem Morris was clear in his assessment of the team’s third straight loss.

With a chance to tie the score at 24 against the New England Patriots with 4:40 left in Sunday’s game, kicker Parker Romo missed the extra point. The Falcons did get the ball back, but could not get into scoring position, leaving the miss as the difference in the result.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to make that kick and give yourself a chance,” Morris told reporters on Monday. “That’s the game. … We’ve got to get it fixed and it has to be fixed now.”

Kicking woes have plagued the Falcons (3-5) since their season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Younghoe Koo missed a game-tying 44-yarder as Atlanta fell 23-20.

Morris’ comments Monday were almost identical to Week 1, when the second-year head coach said, “We’ve got to make those kicks,” before the team cut the veteran Koo.

By the time Atlanta leaves for its Week 10 meeting with the Indianapolis Colts in Berlin, the team could be on its third kicker.

“Obviously we’ve got to look at that and we’ve started that process already,” Morris said of replacing Romo. “We’ve worked out a bunch of different people. We’ll be able to bring people in and figure out who it’s going to be this week. Those pressure situations aren’t built on practice fields. They’re built in games.”

The good from Sunday included Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s career-high three passing touchdowns, despite falling to 4-6 as a starter since taking Kirk Cousins’ job last December.

One of the only blemishes on Penix’s performance was an intentional grounding penalty he took which stalled out the Falcons’ final drive.

After the game, Penix and Morris accused the Patriots of simulating the snap by clapping, which led to the snap arriving early and is supposed to be a “disconcerting signals” penalty.

Morris walked back his comments on Monday, saying all he was going off was what his players told him.

“This was our players telling us they simulated the snap out there,” Morris said. “They heard something and obviously they did, that’s why he snapped it. This was no intent that (New England) did anything wrong.

“… We can’t snap the ball early no matter what anybody does. It’s gotta be more about us. That was just me being angry (Sunday).”

Even on a three-game losing streak, Penix still feels the Falcons can play their best football.

“It’s still high,” Penix said of the team’s confidence. “It’s got to be. It’s NFL football. We’re still in it. We still have a lot of games to go. We’ve got to go out there and just make sure each and every day of practice we give our 110% effort like we always do and be ready for this next game coming up. Obviously a long flight out to Germany, but we’ll be ready for it.”

Atlanta’s offensive line took a hit at New England, as left guard Matthew Bergeron exited in the first quarter with an ankle injury before three-time Pro Bowl right guard Chris Lindstrom (foot) left in the fourth.

“We’ll get those guys to Wednesday and see what happens,” said Morris, who also updated the status of linebacker Troy Andersen, who hasn’t played since Dec. 8 of last season with a knee injury. “You never want to rule (Andersen coming back this season) out. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris looks on before the game Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Falcons ‘getting hungrier’ to fix scoring struggles from first win

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With the Atlanta Falcons’ first win under their belt, head coach Raheem Morris addressed the team’s next area of concern on Monday: finding the end zone.

In their 22-6 road win over Minnesota on Sunday night, the Falcons made five trips to the red zone, resulting in four field goals before they finally broke through for a game-sealing touchdown with 3:22 left.

Ahead of a second straight road test, this time against NFC South foe Carolina, Morris is well aware of the issue at hand.

“We did not do a great job in the red zone, that’s for sure,” Morris said. “Fortunately for us, our defense held their team to almost the same poor play. …

“I’m ecstatic to not have that conversation (of being 0-2). You learn from the lessons, the things you want to do better. You can be harder on yourself, whether from a coaching standpoint or a player standpoint. The guys are getting hungrier.”

The story in Atlanta leading up to Week 2 was its kicking woes and the subsequent decision to make a change from former Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo. After missing a game-tying kick in the Falcons’ 23-20 season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team signed John Parker Romo and left Koo at home for the trip.

Romo made all five of his field goals on Sunday, including a 54-yarder in the fourth quarter, making the Falcons’ future at the spot almost a no-brainer.

“There is about a 90 percent chance that Romo is our kicker next week,” Morris said on Monday. “There’s no doubt about it. I wouldn’t even sit here and act like it’s an open competition, because the guy just went 5-for-5. He did a heck of a job and I want to see him go out there and do it again.”

The Falcons didn’t emerge with a perfect bill of health after their first win against Minnesota since 2020. Top cover cornerback A.J. Terrell exited late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return.

“Nothing new on A.J. right now,” Morris said. “Obviously he suffered the injury and didn’t come back to the game with that hamstring. I’ll have better information once we start practice and get through the day.”

In Terrell’s place, fourth-year veteran Dee Alford held Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson to one second-half reception in the Atlanta victory.

–Field Level Media

Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots place kicker John Parker Romo (37) walks to the practice fields at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Report: Falcons signing K John Parker Romo to practice squad

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons are signing kicker John Parker Romo to the practice squad, NFL Network reported on Tuesday.

The report comes two days after Younghoe Koo misfired on a game-tying 44-yard field goal in the final seconds of Atlanta’s 23-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Koo converted an earlier try by banking it off an upright.

The Falcons also have a third kicker in international player Lenny Krieg, who currently is on the practice squad.

Romo, who was in training camp with the New England Patriots, joined Zane Gonzalez, Michael Badgley and Ben Sauls in working out for the Falcons on Tuesday.

Romo, 28, made 11 of 12 field-goal attempts and 7 of 8 extra-point tries last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

Koo, 31, has missed six field goals in his last six games dating back to last season.

A Pro Bowl pick in 2020, Koo has made 85.8 percent of his field-goal attempts in his career and 175 of 182 PATs.

“It’s tough, obviously,” Koo said on Monday. “But, as always, I’ve just got to get back to work. Definitely frustrated. Had a great offseason, a great camp. Two weeks leading into Week 1, I felt great. I still do. There’s just a couple things I’ve got to adjust better on the go, like during the game. Learn from it and move on. That’s really all you can do.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn (2) during an NFL International Series game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Reports: Patriots to waive WR K.J. Osborn

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New England Patriots are waiving wide receiver K.J. Osborn, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.

Osborn, 27, has played in seven games (four starts) and has seven receptions on 18 targets for 57 yards and one touchdown. He has participated in 53 percent (232) of the offensive snaps. He has not played since the Patriots’ 19-3 victory at Chicago on Nov. 10.

The Patriots signed Osborn as a free agent in March after he spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Osborn has 165 career receptions for 1,902 yards and 16 TDs in 66 regular-season games (34 starts).

New England also is expected to sign rookie kicker John Parker Romo to the practice squad, NFL Network reported on Tuesday. Romo, 27, played in four games this season for the Vikings, making 11 of 12 field-goal attempts with a long of 55 yards, and seven of eight extra-point attempts.

The Patriots’ starting kicker is veteran Joey Slye.

–Field Level Media

Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Will Reichard (16) kicks a 41-yard field goal out of the hold of punter Ryan Wright (17) in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Vikings designate K Will Reichard to return from IR

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Minnesota Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola were designated to return from injured reserve on Tuesday.

The move opens a 21-day window for both players to be activated by the team.

Reichard, 23, has missed the past four games with a quadricep strain sustained in Minnesota’s 21-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 3. He made 14-of-16 field-goal attempts and all 23 of his extra-point tries since being selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

John Parker Romo, 27, fared well in Reichard’s absence, making 11-of-12 of his field-goal attempts and 7-of-8 extra-point tries.

Jake McQuaide, 36, has stepped in place of the 37-year-old DePaola, who has missed four games with an injured hand.

The Vikings (10-2) host the Atlanta Falcons (6-6) on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Nov 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Will Reichard (16) kicks an extra point against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Reports: Vikings K Will Reichard (quad) headed to IR

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings are placing kicker Will Reichard (quad strain) on injured reserve and signing free agent John Parker Romo as his replacement, per multiple reports Tuesday.

Reichard suffered the injury in Sunday night’s 21-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He missed field-goal attempts from 53 and 31 yards.

On the season, the 23-year-old rookie has converted 14 of 16 field goals and all 23 extra points.

The Vikings selected Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama.

Romo, 27, has yet to play in an NFL game. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and spent 2023 with the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL.

He signed with the Vikings in the offseason and was waived in training camp.

–Field Level Media