Detroit Lions v New England Patriots
Getty
The New England Patriots have seen a recognizable player lose his job midway through the 2026 NFL season.
Former Patriots kicker Nick Folk is being released by the Atlanta Falcons following a difficult nine-game stretch.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday, Nov. 10 that Atlanta is parting ways with the 42-year-old veteran after he converted just 13 of his 18 field-goal attempts this season.
“Jake Moody is the new kicker in Atlanta,” Schultz wrote.
The decision ends Folk’s brief run with the Falcons, who signed him during the offseason following his strong 2025 campaign with the New York Jets.
It also breaks up a familiar Patriots special teams pairing. Folk had reunited with former New England punter Jake Bailey in Atlanta this season.
Former Patriots Kicker Nick Folk Released Amid Struggles
San Francisco 49ers v Atlanta Falcons
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 25: Nick Folk #6 of the Atlanta Falcons reacts after a field goal against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Folk’s departure comes after his field-goal percentage dropped to 72.2% through nine games.
According to NFL statistics, the veteran made just one of four attempts from 50 yards or farther this season.
His struggles continued Sunday, Nov. 8, when he missed one of two field goals during Atlanta’s 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The numbers stand in sharp contrast to his previous three seasons.
Folk made 28 of 29 field goals with the Jets in 2025, finishing with a 96.6% success rate. He converted 21 of 22 attempts with Tennessee in 2024 and 29 of 30 in 2023.
Atlanta is turning to Jake Moody, whom the Falcons are signing from the Baltimore Ravens‘ practice squad, according to Schultz.
Moody made a 53-yard field goal for Baltimore on Sunday before Atlanta moved to add him to its active roster.
Folk’s release leaves the veteran searching for another opportunity in his 19th NFL season.
Nick Folk Was a Reliable Weapon During Patriots Tenure
New England Patriots v Las Vegas Raiders
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Place kicker Nick Folk #6 of the New England Patriots takes the field for a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Folk spent four seasons with New England from 2019 through 2022, becoming one of the team’s most dependable specialists.
He converted 108 of 121 field-goal attempts during that stretch, good for an 89.3% success rate.
His finest season came in 2021, when he made 36 of 39 attempts and scored 150 points. He also established a franchise record with 36 consecutive made field goals.
The Patriots eventually traded Folk to the Tennessee Titans in August 2023 for a seventh-round draft pick.
New England now has second-year kicker Andy Borregales, who has experienced his own struggles this season.
Borregales has converted 10 of 13 field-goal attempts in 2026, although head coach Mike Vrabel expressed confidence in him following a missed 40-yard attempt against Miami on Nov. 1.
“We have to make our kicks,” Vrabel said.
There has been no reported indication that New England plans to pursue Folk.
For now, the veteran’s latest setback marks a sharp turn from the consistency that once made him a trusted piece of the Patriots’ special teams unit.