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Falcons Stick With Nick Folk Despite Struggles This Season
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- Falcons Stick With Nick Folk Despite Struggles This Season
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Falcons are not making a panic move at kicker. Even after a missed extra point and a drop in accuracy, the team stands firm behind 41-year-old Nick Folk. Special teams coach Craig Aukerman made his stance clear. He told reporters that the coaching staff has total faith in the veteran's ability to bounce back. This loyalty comes despite Folk missing two field goals from over 50 yards in the first seven games.
Folk entered the season with a stellar reputation. He led the NFL in field goal percentage last year with the Jets. He also topped the league in 2023 and 2024 with the Titans. In those three seasons combined, he missed only three kicks, and all were from deep range. His current numbers show a sharp decline. He has converted 12 of 15 attempts this year, which is an 80 percent success rate. That is a big drop from the 96.6 percent he posted in 2025, per Sports Illustrated . Yet the Falcons signed him to a minimum deal in March because they needed stability. They knew his track record was strong before he arrived.
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Aukerman Wants to Support, Not Overhaul
Coach Aukerman refuses to change Folk's technique after every mistake. He believes the veteran knows his job better than anyone. "We have all the confidence in the world with him," Aukerman said. The coach's main goal is to keep Folk's confidence high. He plans to offer small tips on foot placement or angle if he sees a problem. Aukerman told the media, "My biggest thing is I just want to support him." He wants to help Folk move past a bad kick immediately. The staff will not let one missed attempt ruin the next one.
This approach was tested right after the extra point miss. Folk stepped back up and hit all three of his field goals against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. He showed he could fix his own issues on the fly. Aukerman pointed to this self-correction as the reason for their patience. "That's the greatest thing, again, about Nick. He can self-correct himself at any point in time," Aukerman said. The team sees this as proof that Folk can still deliver results.
The Next Kick Matters Most
The Falcons face a tough test on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. They travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers. The Bucs are looking to win back-to-back games for the first time in a year. A loss would hurt Atlanta's standing in the NFC South. The Falcons currently sit at 3-4 in the division. They need every point they can get. Folk's next kick will be critical in a tight game. Aukerman told the kicker, "I want to be out there and let him know that, hey, we're moving on to the next one. And the next one is the most important kick that you have."
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Atlanta signed Folk to avoid the chaos of the 2025 season, when they cycled through three different kickers. That instability cost them points and games. Now they have a veteran who has made at least 95 percent of his attempts for three straight years.
