Tucker Joins Chiefs Bench As Butker Backup
The 37-year-old kicker joins Kansas City as insurance for Harrison Butker following a 10-game suspension.
By Karan Cabrera ·
Justin Tucker, who finished his Baltimore Ravens career as the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 1,775 points, is joining the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad. NFL Network and ESPN reported the move on Wednesday. This signing ends a 17-month absence from the league for Tucker, who turns 37 on November 21.
The contract places Tucker on the practice squad rather than the active roster. He serves as backup insurance for Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. Butker has completed only 11 of 16 field goal attempts this season, a 68.8 percent success rate. The Banner reported that Butker missed four kicks from 50 yards or longer, one from 45 yards, and one extra point. Two of those misses occurred during Sunday's loss to Seattle.
Under NFL rules, a team can elevate a practice squad player to the game-day roster a limited number of times. If Tucker is elevated multiple times, the Chiefs must sign him to the active roster. His status will likely depend on Butker's performance in upcoming games. Kansas City plays at Denver on November 1 and hosts the New York Jets on November 8. Tucker worked out for the Jets earlier this season according to Yahoo Sports.
Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Ravens after signing as an undrafted free agent from Texas in 2012. He went 417 for 468 on field goals during his tenure, an 89.1 percent rate. His 2024 season marked his lowest accuracy at 73.3 percent. The Ravens released him on May 5, 2025. The NFL suspended him for 10 games without pay on June 26, 2025, for violating its personal conduct policy.
The suspension stemmed from allegations published by The Baltimore Banner in January 2025. Sixteen massage therapists from eight businesses accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior during sessions between 2012 and 2016. Tucker denied the claims in a statement released on January 30, 2025. He stated, "The allegations in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false." He did not appeal the suspension and did not play in the 2025 season.
The Ravens and Chiefs do not meet in the 2026 regular season. Tucker could face his former team only if both clubs reach the playoffs and he is promoted to the game-day roster. Baltimore drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 draft to replace Tucker. The Ravens recently lost to Cincinnati, surrendering a 13-0 lead.
Source: Baltimore Chronicle
