What happened
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. The move, reported Wednesday, follows a rough start to the season for incumbent kicker Harrison Butker, who has missed five of his 16 field goal attempts.
Tucker has not replaced Butker. Head coach Andy Reid said Butker will still get most of the reps this week and described the situation as fluid. Tucker, 37, has not played in the NFL since Baltimore released him in May 2025.
Reid brushed aside questions about Tucker's past. "He's done his suspension, took care of that business there," he said, adding: "I'll leave it at that." He said the Chiefs did their homework before signing Tucker, talking to a lot of people to make sure things were OK.
Why it matters
On pure kicking resume, this is a big swing. Tucker was widely regarded as one of the best kickers in NFL history. He made seven Pro Bowls with the Ravens and won the Super Bowl in his rookie season. His career field goal rate is 89.1%.
But the signing carries obvious baggage. More than a dozen massage therapists from spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior, in a story first reported by the Baltimore Banner. Tucker denied the allegations and never faced criminal charges, but he served a 10-game NFL ban for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Baltimore said his release was a "football decision" after a slump in form.
That slump is real, too. Tucker's final season in Baltimore was statistically the worst of his career: he made just 73.3% of his field goals. Kansas City is betting that a year away from the game, plus a change of scenery, can restore something close to the old version.
The move also puts the spotlight on Butker, 31, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs who has himself drawn controversy off the field, notably for a 2024 commencement speech criticizing Pride month and working women. Reid was blunt about the on-field issue: Butker has not been "as consistent as he wants" this season. "We love Harrison," Reid said. "He's struggled a little bit."
Tucker's return comes in a season when the league's handling of player issues is already under scrutiny, with [commissioner Roger Goodell recently welcoming an investigation into the NFL's medical care of players](/article/goodell-nfl-welcomes-investigation-jalen-hurts-medical-care).
What happens next
For now, this is insurance, not a takeover. Butker keeps the job this week and gets the bulk of practice reps. If his misses continue, the Chiefs have a proven veteran already in the building to elevate from the practice squad.
That is the calculation Kansas City has made: a kicker with Tucker's track record is worth the questions that come with him, as long as the kicks start going through the uprights again.
