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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Nick Folk #6 of the Atlanta Falcons reacts after a missed field goal attempt against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter of the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Falcons called up Nick Folk this offseason to solve their kicker woes.
A year ago, they parted ways with Younghoe Koo, and it started some kicking difficulties for the rest of the 2025 season. Folk, even at his age, is as reliable as they come in the NFL.
Signing a guy like Folk makes the Falcons feel pretty secure that they won’t have to worry about the kicker position this season. There won’t have to be any in-season cuts or tryouts, knock on wood.
Folk is the type of guy you bring in as your placekicker in the simple hope that he takes care of business all season long.
How Old Is Nick Folk?
Nick Folk is 41 years old, one of the oldest players in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers is 42, but other than that, Folk is right up there.
Folk will celebrate his 42nd birthday on Nov. 5.
He entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2007 NFL Draft — to understand just how long ago that is, that’s the year that JaMarcus Russell went first. The Nos. 2 and 3 selections in that draft, Calvin Johnson and Joe Thomas, have both been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as have other 2007 first-rounders Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis.
Folk began his NFL career by kicking in 46 games across three seasons with the Cowboys.
He then joined the New York Jets for his longest stint: seven years and 104 games.
From there, he kicked in four games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Then it was four years for Folk with the New England Patriots.
After that, he got two seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
Folk returned to the Jets for 16 more games in the 2025 season.
This season with the Falcons marks the 19th separate campaign in which Folk has appeared in at least one NFL game.
Why Is Nick Folk the Falcons’ Kicker?
The Falcons were seeking stability in free agency at kicker, and they found it with Folk.
He has led the NFL in field goal percentage each of the past three seasons.
In 2023, Folk was 29-for-30 on field goals (96.7%), including 5-for-6 from 50-plus.
In 2024, he went 95.5% (21-for-22) and was 6-for-6 from 50-plus, including a make from 56 yards.
Then last season, Folk was 28-for-29 (96.6%) while making 7-of-8 from 50-plus, with a long of 58 yards.
Ironically, Folk missed two field goals in Week 1 for the Falcons after not missing two field goals in any of the three previous three seasons.
Still, Atlanta is sticking by Folk. He’s the best chance they have of getting stability from the kicker position.
Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a Heavy contributor with focus on the NFL and MLB. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim’s basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive work for The Sporting News, the Sandusky Register and Rochester’s Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men’s national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. More about Billy Heyen
