April 25, 2005
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -
Western Washington University punter/kicker Michael Koenen signed a two-year free agent contract Sunday to play football for the Atlanta Falcons.
Koenen, a Ferndale High graduate, will fly to Atlanta on Thursday to attend the Falcons' mini-camp. Last year, Atlanta won the NFC South and reached the NFC Championship Game.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Koenen was a consensus first-team NCAA Division II All-American in 2002 as a punter, and was a second-team Daktronics, Inc., choice in 2003 and a third-team Don Hansen's Football Gazette pick in 2004.
As a sophomore, Koenen led the nation in punting with a 44.9 yard average. He ranked fourth as a junior at 43.4, and was third nationally as a senior at 43.5, finishing with a school-record career average of 43.1, a figure that ranks second in northwest small college history. He is projected to compete for the punting job with the Falcons.
The 22-year-old Koenen completed his four-year career as the Northwest small college, Great Northwest Athletic Conference and school record holder in kick scoring with 272 points, converting 43-of-74 field goal attempts and 143-of-150 PATs. He established Western career records for made PATs and kickoffs for touchbacks (73), ranking second among school leaders in PAT attempts and third in both field goals made and attempted.
A handful of Western players have made it to a NFL training camp, but defensive back Erik Totten is the only Viking to play in a regular-season game, that happening in 2002.
by MARK VINSON
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
The wait proved to be well worth it for Michael Koenen.
Like millions of other football enthusiasts, the Western Washington senior punter/kicker spent much of the weekend close to the television and telephone, following the progress of the National Football League's annual college draft.
And though Koenen wasn't selected in the seven rounds that concluded Sunday afternoon, he made his first career decision shortly afterward, signing a two-year free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
"The first day was pretty slow," Koenen said. "(Sunday) we got some phone calls from several people."
Koenen, a Ferndale High School graduate and former Division II All-American, was almost a Seattle Seahawk.
"Seattle called and said they were thinking about taking me in the seventh round, but they didn't," he said. "They called and I asked where I stood. They weighed into it (his decision) and I wanted to go to Seattle. But my agent thought Atlanta would be a better fit for me."
So Koenen accepted the Falcons' offer with a signing bonus. He will fly to Atlanta on Thursday to attend the Falcons' mini-camp.
"They need a good kickoff guy and I'll fight it out for the punter's job," Koenen said.
Another advantage, Koenen said, is the fact the Falcons play their home games in the Georgia Dome. Add to that the fact the team won the NFC South and reached the NFC Championship Game, and it made for a situation too good to pass up.
"It's a big-time team with some big-time players," Koenen said.
Koenen knows he has his work cut out to beat out eight-year veteran punter Toby Gowin, who was signed as a free agent in March after averaging 38.2 yards per punt last season with the New York Jets.
"I have to have good punts, kickoff well and be consistent," he said.
If Koenen does make the team's 45-man roster, he won't have to wait long for an all-expenses paid trip back home. The Falcons visit Seattle on Sept. 18.
