Chiefs Sign Justin Tucker Amid Harrison Butker's Struggles

The Kansas City Chiefs are signing kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad, a decision that follows a period of inconsistency from current kicker Harrison Butker. Tucker, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, was suspended for 10 weeks for violating the league's personal conduct policy due to allegations of sexual misconduct.

Tucker, who is married, faced accusations from 16 massage therapists in the Baltimore area. He has denied any wrongdoing, stating the accusations were "shocking and heart-breaking." He was released by the Ravens in May 2025 and has not been on an NFL team since his suspension.

The signing of the 36-year-old Tucker was first reported by the Kansas City Star and places Butker's position with the team under renewed focus. Butker, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has missed five of his 16 field goal attempts this season. Following the Chiefs' loss to the Seattle Seahawks, where Butker missed a crucial fourth-quarter field goal, head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "He's off a bit, so got to fix it."

ESPN and NFL Network reported that the Chiefs held tryouts with several kickers, including Harrison Mevis, before ultimately deciding on Tucker. Tucker's suspension was lifted in November 2025, and he has since participated in workouts with multiple teams.

This move also brings Tucker onto a special teams unit that includes punter Matt Araiza, who joined the Chiefs after being dismissed from a lawsuit alleging rape at a 2021 party. The punter and the accuser reached an agreement, leading to his dismissal from the suit.

Butker previously drew significant attention for remarks made during a commencement speech at Benedictine College in May 2024. His comments, which touched on topics such as abortion, the LGBTQ+ community, and women's roles, led to a petition with nearly 250,000 signatures calling for his release from the team. Despite public statements from teammates like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce expressing differing views, Butker defended his right to express his beliefs, stating, "God has given me this platform and I’m going to say what I believe to be true and what I hold close to my heart."