Chiefs sign kicker Justin Tucker to practice squad

The Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad, adding a veteran with a distinguished career as insurance while incumbent starter Harrison Butker struggles with a stretch of missed kicks.

Tucker Joins Kansas City Practice Squad Following Tuesday Workout

The Chiefs signed Tucker after evaluating three different kickers at a team workout, according to reports. Alongside Tucker, the front office put Harrison Mevis and Ben Sauls through their paces at the facility. Tucker arrives in Kansas City without a contract on the active 53-man roster, sitting instead on the practice squad while Butker remains the primary option heading into the next slate of games.

For Tucker, the signing represents a return to the NFL ecosystem after his last competitive snap. He has not appeared in a regular-season game since January 19, 2025, during his final campaign with the Baltimore Ravens. Over a distinguished 13-year career in Baltimore, Tucker collected seven Pro Bowl nods, five Associated Press All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl XLVII ring won during his rookie season in 2012. He built a reputation as the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, converting 89.1 percent of his career field goal attempts and scoring 417 field goals, which places him 14th on the all-time list.

Butker Struggles Prompt Roster Move and Evaluation

The decision to bring in outside competition stems directly from Butker’s difficult stretch of form this season. The 10-year veteran, a cornerstone of Kansas City’s Super Bowl championship teams, has missed five of his 16 field goal attempts and one extra point through the opening portion of the schedule. During a 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Butker misfired from 58 yards out just before halftime and pushed a 45-yard attempt wide in the final quarter.

Head coach Andy Reid addressed the situation with reporters, noting that Butker’s mechanics have wavered. Reid told reporters that Butker’s technique is off a bit and that he is not as consistent as he wants to be, while emphasizing confidence in the team’s long-term kicker. Reid confirmed that Butker will handle the majority of practice repetitions during the week and is expected to kick in Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Broncos.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also weighed in on the sudden arrival of a marquee rival kicker in the building, telling reporters that the front office continually evaluates personnel to improve the roster while keeping his own focus fixed on preparing for the Broncos.

Background on Tucker Absence and Baltimore Departure

Tucker’s path to the Chiefs’ practice squad follows a lengthy absence prompted by off-field scrutiny and a subsequent league suspension. In February 2025, The Baltimore Banner published an investigative report detailing accusations of sexual misconduct from 16 massage therapists across eight high-end spas in the Baltimore area, with the alleged incidents spanning from 2012 to 2016. Tucker repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the reporting as false, but the Ravens released him in May 2025 with three years remaining on a four-year, $22 million extension.

Two months after his release, the NFL handed Tucker a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He served the entire suspension as an unattached free agent, becoming eligible for reinstatement last November when he worked out for the New Orleans Saints. Subsequent workouts with the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins yielded no contracts until Kansas City extended an offer this week. Reid declined to discuss the specifics of the organization's vetting process regarding the suspension, telling reporters that the player completed his mandated discipline and the team made its assessment accordingly.

Tucker's Career Accuracy Contrasts with 2024 Struggles

The signing highlights a sharp contrast between Tucker’s historic peak and his final difficult season in Baltimore. During the 2024 campaign, Tucker experienced the least efficient year of his professional career, missing 10 total kicks—including eight field goals out of 30 attempts and two extra points—which dropped his conversion rate to 73.3 percent and ranked him 31st in the league. Despite that slide, his career conversion mark of 89.1 percent keeps him near the top of the all-time accuracy leaderboards, trailing only the Chargers’ Cameron Dicker.

Meanwhile, Butker’s current struggles are concentrated heavily from long range. Statistics show Butker converting 9 of 10 kicks under 50 yards this season, compared to just 2 of 6 from beyond 50 yards. That drop-off mirrors a regression from the previous year, when he converted 28 of 30 tries inside 50 yards and 5 of 8 from distance.

More on this story: Chiefs Sign Justin Tucker to Practice Squad Amid Butker Struggles

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