Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs signed legendary kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. This comes after current Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed two field goals against the Seattle Seahawks and a field goal the previous week against the Los Angeles Chargers. Could this signing spell doom for Butker, or is it just a wake-up call?
Who Is Justin Tucker?
Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and finished there with an 89.1% field goal completion percentage, which is the 2nd highest all-time. He also had a 98.5% extra point completion percentage. Comparatively, Butker has an 87.3% field goal completion percentage and a 93.9 extra point completion percentage. His highest completion percentage for a season was in 2016, when he completed 97.4% of field goals. His longest successful kick was in 2021, when he broke the NFL record with a 66-yard field goal. That record was later broken by Cam Little in 2025. He is also 36 years old, which is five years older than Butker.
Tucker last played in 2024, going 22 of 30 and a 73.3% completion percentage, the worst of his career and the 4th most missed field goals in 2024. Towards the end of his career with Baltimore, he was accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists. He was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2025 season, but was released by Baltimore in May 2025. He has since tried out for the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Jets before finally signing to the Chiefs’ practice squad. Kansas City is accustomed to controversial players, but Tucker might be the most controversial yet.
What Does This Mean For Harrison Butker?
Harrison Butker has been the Chiefs’ kicker for 10 seasons, three of which he finished with above a 90% completion percentage. He has already missed five field goals through six games, which ties how many he missed all of 2025. He has made nine of 10 field goals from inside 50 yards, but he is two of six from outside 50. A once nearly automatic kicker has become one of the biggest question marks on the team.
In the preseason, Butker nailed a 69-yard field goal, which would have been an NFL record if it were a regular season game. Against Seattle, however, he was short from 58. This makes me believe he is in a rut rather than losing his skill. Butker has experienced ruts before and made it out alive. In 2022, he had a five-game streak of missing either a field goal or an extra point after returning from an injury. He eventually got back to his normal self and helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl 57. He has been famously clutch in the postseason, only missing three field goals in 22 postseason games.
The Chiefs have multiple positions to be concerned about right now, but kicker is not one that is easily fixed mid-season. The only available kickers with experience are Tucker and former Ram Harrison Mevis. Mevis tried out with Kansas City along with Tucker, but was not chosen. If Butker continues to struggle, they may just have to live with it and try to win around it. Tucker may be one of the most successful kickers of all time, but there is no reason to believe he would be better than Butker right now.
End Of Justin Tucker Rant
Kansas City hopes Tucker will stay on the practice squad and never play a snap for them. His age, lack of recent production, and public issues make it hard to believe the Chiefs intend for him to be their actual kicker. This signing is meant to send a message to Butker that the clock is ticking. If he continues to struggle, we might see Tucker as a last resort. In the meantime, Butker needs to step up his game or lose his job.
