Sept. 19, 2005
SEATTLE, Wash. - Big kicks for Koenen
Family and friends caravan to Seattle to watch former WWU and Ferndale standout
JOE SUNNEN, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Atlanta Falcon punter Michael Koenen couldn't hide the smile on his face as he left the player's tunnel for warm-ups before the start of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field in Seattle.
He was home again - or at least as close to Ferndale as he is probably going to get for the next few months - and the strong-legged kid from Whatcom County was right were he always wanted to be, standing in an NFL stadium getting ready to boot a football.
"I was really comfortable with this game," Koenen said. "I liked having all my family and friends here. They're real supportive of me and what I'm doing. That's made it easier."
The Seahawks scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and held off a late charge by the Falcons in the second half to defeat Atlanta 21-18. The Seahawks improved to 1-1 while the Falcons fell to 1-1.
Despite the loss, Koenen was happy to be close to home.
"It feels real good to be back here," Koenen said.
At least 60 people showed up to cheer on Koenen as he played in his second NFL game, some dressed in black or red T-shirts with his name on the back, others waiving signs or held up banners.
After the game Koenen's father, Mike, waited by the locker room doors for his son to come out.
"When I say I'm proud of my son I don't want it to sound like I'm the guy that's saying, 'Look at my son he's an NFL kicker and I'm a better person for it,'" his father said. "I'm not that guy. What I am is just ecstatically happy that my son is getting a good shot at life. I'm proud of the person he is. I'm happy he's getting this chance."
The 23-year-old Koenen made the most of his trip back to the Pacific Northwest, punting seven times for an average of 49.6 yards, including a 67-yard spiral that brought gasps from the crowd. He also put two punts inside the Seahawks' 20-yard line and had a kickoff go into the end zone for a touchback.
"I had a couple punts that should have been better," Koenen said. "It wasn't a perfect day for me by any means, but I had a couple of big kicks so I feel happy with the way things went."
Sunday's game against the Seahawks went much better for Koenen than his first NFL game last week. He made his professional regular-season debut against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, booting seven punts for a 40.1 yard average.
"I'm still working on things and trying to get better," Koenen said. "There's always room for improvement. Every game out I'm just trying to swing my leg through the ball and make good contact."
The former All-American at Western Washington University signed with Atlanta in April as an undrafted free-agent and beat out two others during training camp to earn a spot on the Falcons' roster.
He joins Erik Totten, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, as one of only two Vikings to take a snap in a regular-season NFL game. He also joins Doug Pederson as one of two NFL players to come out of Ferndale.
"Michael has a tremendous amount of ability," said Falcons kicker Todd Peterson. "I think everybody here recognized that very early on."
If Koenen had any home-coming nervousness, he didn't show it. His first punt went 37 yards and bounced just in front of the goal line before going into the end zone, and the second went 58 yards to the Seattle 19.
Even when he didn't punt the ball well he still caught a break. Koenen's third punt, a wobbly line drive, went only 45 yards and was returned by Seattle's Peter Warrick to the Atlanta 36-yard line, but a penalty negated the play.
"I think it helped a little bit that I had played here before with Western in the Battle in Seattle against Central," Koenen said. "I was used to the stadium and the wind. It wasn't a new thing."
After the game, Koenen met with a few members of his family briefly before getting on the team bus and heading to the airport for the flight back to Atlanta.
"I think Michael's handled this all real well," his father said.
Michael Koenen in Seattle: Todd Pederson plays role of role model Place-kicker showing rookie the ropes
JOE SUNNEN, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Atlanta Falcons kicker Todd Peterson remembers what it was like to be a rookie in the NFL. That's why he's taken it upon himself to help Michael Koenen during his first season with the Falcons.
"I just think that's part of my role," Peterson said. "As a veteran player my job is to help Michael be the best he can be because he's unfamiliar with some of the things I'm familiar with."
Koenen, 23, and Peterson, 35, have become fast friends since the former Ferndale and Western Washington University standout joined the Falcons in April. The two spend much of practice together working on their punting and kicking skills and often attend Bible study together away from the field.
"I don't think I would be in such a good position if it wasn't for Todd," Koenen said. "He's been showing me the ropes of the NFL and really helping me."
Peterson broke into the league in 1994 with the Arizona Cardinals before spending five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks from 1995-99. The Falcons are his sixth team in the last 12 seasons. He served as both kicker and punter for Atlanta last season before Koenen was signed.
"I've been in his spot," Peterson said. "And when I was young (former Seahawks punters) Rick Tuten and Jeff Feagles and guys like that helped me understand how to prepare and do my job at a high level."
On the sidelines during Atlanta's game with the Seahawks on Sunday at Qwest Field, Peterson often tossed footballs to Koenen to work on the rookie's ability to catch snaps, while Koenen sometimes held the football while Peterson practiced kicks. During warm-ups Koenen was rarely far from Peterson's side.
"The thing that I can do to help Michael is help him form a routine and get used to the different environments," Peterson said. "The hard thing about punting and kicking in the NFL is that you have to do it at a high level every single week."
Peterson has also tried to help Koenen make the adjustment from Division II football to the NFL as easy as possible for the rookie.
"In college you can go out and have a good game and everyone thinks you're real cool, that you're the cat's meow," Peterson said. "In Michael's case he's coming from a small program where the stakes are not as high. The nature of this business is that every single punt matters. I've just tried to help him understand that."
Koenen isn't the only one that thankful Peterson has taken the time to help him understand the pressures of the NFL. Michael's father, Mike, said he's also glad his son has found a good role model.
"Todd Peterson has really helped Michael out a lot and I'm thankful for that," his father said. "In fact, Todd's the only player I've ever wanted an autograph from. He helped out my son so much."
The feeling is mutual for Peterson.
"I care a lot about Michael, he's a great young man," Peterson said. "It's fun to have that opportunity and to get the chance to really invest in a guy and see that pay off."
Michael Koenen in Seattle: A family affair
Fans of Michael Koenen fill half of section 104
JOE SUNNEN, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Michael Koenen's fans started coming into Qwest Field two hours before kickoff.
First a group of five appeared in the stands near the north end zone, all wearing the same red shirts with Koenen's last name on the back. Then a few more came, this time in black, the same name on their backs.
By the time the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks game started at 1:05 p.m., nearly half of section 104 was full of Koenen's friends and family. Most were holding up signs or banners in support of Ferndale's newest NFL player.
The largest banner simply read, "We love Koenen."
"We were a little afraid we are going to make him nervous," his mother, Cheryl Koenen, said before the game. "We hope he can stay focused with all of us here."
For most of Koenen's fans at the game it was the first time they'd seen him play in an NFL game in person.
"It gives you this feeling like it's finally really happening," Cheryl said. "The experience has been wonderful.
The loudest cheers came in the second quarter when Koenen punted from deep in Falcons territory and very close to the section so many of his fans were sitting in. His first attempt was a wobbly line drive that went 45 yards. His second punt from nearly the same location on the next series was a slightly more picturesque 53 yards with a short return. None of it really mattered to Koenen's fans in red and black.
"He doesn't have to perform well for us to love him," Cheryl said. And what about Koenen's 67-yard punt at the end of the first half?
"It was beautiful," Cheryl said.
