Chiefs Sign Justin Tucker to Practice Squad

The Kansas City Chiefs have added veteran kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad, bringing in the five-time All-Pro after his absence from the NFL since 2024. Sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter that Kansas City signed Tucker to provide additional options amid Harrison Butker's struggles this season. Tucker, who turns 37 next month, did not play during the 2025 season while serving a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

His addition gives the Chiefs another experienced kicker as they navigate ongoing concerns about field goal accuracy. According to the source reports, Tucker was one of three kickers who worked out with Kansas City on Tuesday. Harrison Mevis and Ben Sauls also participated, while Butker remained the only kicker on the Chiefs' 53-man roster Wednesday morning.

Butker, a 10-year veteran who has been part of all three of Kansas City's Super Bowl championship teams, has missed five of 16 field goal attempts this season. Two of those misses came during Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to the source report.

Tucker's return follows a difficult period that ended his 13-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens. The team released him in May 2025, ending a run that included seven Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl victory during his rookie season. The NFL suspended Tucker two months after his release, and he served the full 10-game penalty as a free agent. He became eligible for reinstatement last November, according to the source report.

Tucker has also faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving 16 massage therapists at eight spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area. The Baltimore Banner reported the allegations in February 2025, stating that the alleged incidents occurred between 2012 and 2016, during Tucker's first five seasons with the Ravens. Tucker has denied the allegations and strongly criticized the reporting. He described the accusations as "unequivocally false" and called the Banner's report "desperate tabloid fodder."

The Ravens released Tucker with three years remaining on a four-year, $22 million contract extension that had made him the NFL's highest-paid kicker at the time. He had been Baltimore's longest-tenured player and the last remaining member of the team's 2012 Super Bowl championship roster. His performance had also declined during his final season in Baltimore. Tucker missed 10 kicks overall in 2024, three more than in any previous season, and converted 22 of 30 field goal attempts for a 73.3% success rate, which ranked 31st in the NFL, according to the source report.