Aug. 26, 2005

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Michael Koenen, a former All-American kicker and punter at Western Washington University, saw his chances of making the NFL's Atlanta Falcons dramatically improve this morning when the team waived veteran punter Toby Gowin.

Koenen and Gowin had been in a battle for the starting job at punter and kickoff specialist, and Gowin had been listed ahead of Koenen on the depth chart for much of the preseason. Gowin's release effectively clears the way for Koenen to be just the second former Western player to compete in a regular season NFL game.

"I'm very excited and very blessed to be in this situation," Koenen said. "(But the Falcons coaches) told me to keep working. You can't take anything for granted. If I don't do my job, they'll call someone else."

Koenen signed a two-year free agent contract with the Falcons in April. Since that time, he said he has learned much from Gowin, an eight-year veteran who was with the New York Jets this past season. He also said the two have became friends and have gone fishing together.

"I saw (Gowin) packing up (after his release) and I told him I wish we could take every other punt for the rest of the season," Koenen said. "It's bittersweet."

Koenen said he expects Gowin to find another job and plans to remain in contact with him.

If Koenen maintains his grip on the Falcons' starting job, he will be the second former Viking to compete in the NFL. Former Western safety Erik Totten played in one game for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2002.

During his career at Western, Koenen set the Northwest small college, Great Northwest Athletic Conference and school records for scoring with 272 points. He also averaged 43.1 yards per punt. He garnered post-season honors in all four years at Western, including 2002 when he was a first-team Daktronics, D2Football.com and Football Gazette All-American. He received third-team All-America honors in 2004, his senior season.