One of the biggest storylines of the Kansas City Chiefs' 2026 season through six games has been the struggles of Harrison Butker. His 68.8 field goal percentage is the worst in the league, and he's been a liability for the team as of late, missing two field goals in the loss to Seattle that could have turned the tide of that game.
The Chiefs finally decided to bring in some competition for Butker, but it's not a player that Chiefs fans will be happy to have on board. That kicker is Justin Tucker, who spent 13 years with the Baltimore Ravens and, at one time, was one of the best kickers in the league.
The key there is "at one time." Tucker showed in his final year with Baltimore that he didn't have "it" anymore, with a 73.3 field goal percentage. He missed eight field goals and two extra points during that 2024 season, and the lack of production, paired with sexual misconduct allegations, made him an easy player for the Ravens to move on from.
In January 2025, The Baltimore Banner reported that Tucker had been accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists. This behavior reportedly included exposing himself and unwanted flirtatious behavior. The Ravens responded by releasing Tucker months later, and the NFL suspended Tucker for the first 10 games of the 2025 season.
Tucker hasn't kicked in the NFL since 2024, but now he'll potentially be given another chance to do just that, as the Chiefs signed him to their practice squad.
Why Justin Tucker?
It's fair for Chiefs fans to wonder why the organization made this decision. After all, Tucker showed he was regressing the last time he was kicking for an NFL team, and he hasn't been the Automatic Justin Tucker that he was for so long in quite some time. That's one very fair aspect to ponder.
But that's not even where it stops.
The sexual misconduct allegations are what officially prompted the Ravens to kick Tucker to the curb, and that likely hasn't helped him find a job elsewhere since Baltimore sent him out to sea. Why would a team want to deal with that bad PR?
The Ravens and the NFL not only punished Tucker by releasing and suspending him, but he hasn't kicked in an NFL game in nearly two years. This is the player the Chiefs want to bring in as competition for Butker? Really?
On a less serious but still worth-mentioning note, this is the same guy who tried to get under Patrick Mahomes' and Travis Kelce's skin ahead of the AFC Championship Game in the 2023 season. Tucker put his stuff over where Mahomes and the Chiefs were practicing, which led to Kelce kicking the balls Tucker had set there and moving his helmet away. It caused quite the stir at the time, and it was clear the Chiefs didn't find the situation funny.
Tucker has proven to not be a good person off the field, he's regressed at his job, and he has beef with the Chiefs' two biggest stars. So I'll ask again: Why is he getting a second chance with the Chiefs (or at all)?
Signing Justin Tucker isn't worth the headache
The Chiefs obviously disagree and think that bringing Tucker in can magically heal whatever is ailing Butker by providing some competition. Truthfully, there aren't great kickers just waiting in the wings to be snatched up, but even an unproven guy would have been better than Tucker, who comes with a load of problems.
K.C. also hosted Harrison Mevis for a tryout, so they were open to other options. Mevis struggled mightily with the Rams, however, missing 4 of his 9 kicks this season, and was cut loose after he missed what could have been the game-winner against the Bills a few weeks ago.
There are plenty of other options without the controversy that Tucker has, though, such as Graham Gano, Younghoe Koo, Jake Moody, and Matt Prater. Tanner Brown of the UFL has spent some time on NFL practice squads as well and could have been an under-the-radar type of signing for the Chiefs.
The hope is that maybe making the move to bring in another kicker lights a fire under Butker and helps him become the talented kicker he once was. It's absolutely fair for fans to wonder why that kicker has to be Justin Tucker, though. This is such a bad look for the Chiefs.
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