Tucker Signs With Chiefs Practice Squad

Justin Tucker will kick for the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, ending a 17-month gap since the Baltimore Ravens cut him. NFL Network and ESPN reported the signing on Wednesday. The move closes a period that began in May 2025 and included a 10-game suspension. Tucker is not taking a full roster spot. He is expected to serve as insurance for Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.

Butker is having the worst accuracy season of his career. The 10-year veteran has made 11 of 16 field-goal attempts this season. That is a 68.8 percentage rate. He has missed four tries from 50 yards or longer. He also missed one attempt from 45 yards and one extra point. ESPN reported that two of his misses came during Sunday's loss at Seattle. Tucker is expected to turn 37 next month.

Practice-squad deals allow teams to keep players on call without using a full roster spot. Under NFL rules, a team can elevate a practice-squad player to the game-day roster only a limited number of times. If a team elevates a player too often, it must sign him to the active roster. Any real kicking job in Kansas City will depend on Butker's performance over the next few weeks. Contract terms were not reported. The Chiefs have not released Butker.

Tucker spent 13 seasons in Baltimore. He signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2012. He won a Super Bowl as a rookie. He made seven Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro five times. He finished his Ravens career 417 for 468 on field goals. That is an 89.1 percentage rate. He scored 1,775 points for Baltimore. His 2024 season was the weakest of his career. He made 22 of 30 field goals, a 73.3 percentage rate.

The Baltimore Banner published an investigation in January 2025. Massage therapists at Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior during sessions. ESPN reported that 16 therapists from eight businesses made accusations covering 2012 to 2016. Those years mark his first five seasons with the Ravens. Tucker has denied wrongdoing. In a statement released on Jan. 30, 2025, he said, “The allegations in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false.”

The Ravens released Tucker on May 5, 2025. The NFL suspended him for 10 games without pay on June 26, 2025. The suspension was for violating the personal conduct policy. Tucker did not appeal the decision. He did not play in the 2025 season. His 66-yard kick in Detroit stood as the NFL record until Jacksonville's Cam Little made a 68-yarder on Nov. 2, 2025.

Tucker will not face the Ravens in the regular season. Baltimore is not on Kansas City's 2026 schedule. The only way he could kick against his former team this season is if both clubs reach the playoffs. Tucker would also need to be promoted to the game-day roster. The Chiefs play at Denver on Nov. 1. They host the New York Jets on Nov. 8. Tucker worked out for the Jets before this season.

The Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 draft after releasing Tucker. Baltimore's season has hit a rough patch. The team let a 13-0 lead slip in Sunday's loss to Cincinnati. Tucker remains the most prolific scorer in franchise history. His return with Kansas City will be watched closely in Baltimore. The allegations against him first surfaced in the state where he played for 13 years.