The New York Jets hosted a workout for kicker Justin Tucker on Wednesday, offering a potential lifeline to the player who has not kicked in the NFL since the 2024 season. Tucker was released by the Baltimore Ravens in May 2025, months after reports surfaced of sexual misconduct allegations.
Tucker, 36, was accused by 16 massage therapists across eight spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area. He denied the accusations, calling them "shocking and heart-breaking." However, he received a 10-week suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, which he completed in November 2025. He is now a free agent eligible to be signed before the upcoming season.
During his 13-year career with the Ravens, Tucker established himself as one of the league's premier kickers. He set an NFL record for the longest field goal at 66 yards in 2021, a mark that has since been surpassed. His career field goal success rate of 89.1 percent ranks third all-time among players with at least 100 attempts. However, in his final season, 2024, he missed eight field goals, posting a career-low 73.3 percent conversion rate.
Before working out for the Jets, Tucker had previously tried out for the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts after his suspension ended, including sessions this past summer.
The Jets are currently addressing issues at the kicker position. Michael Badgley and Joshua Karty also participated in Wednesday's workout. The team recently claimed Blake Grupe off waivers from Indianapolis and released Jason Sanders, who has since been re-signed to the practice squad.
Sanders had been considered the likely Week 1 kicker but struggled in the preseason finale, missing an extra point and a 54-yard field goal attempt. Grupe, who lost a competition with Spencer Shrader for the Colts' kicking job, is expected to be the Jets' primary kicker for their season opener against the Tennessee Titans on September 13.
The team's workout of multiple kickers, including Tucker, indicates they are performing due diligence and evaluating options should they need to make a change later in the season.
Badgley, 31, has had previous stints with the Colts and Buffalo Bills and has a past connection with the Jets' passing game coordinator Seth Ryan, son of former head coach Rex Ryan, as they were high school teammates. Badgley has made 109 of 131 field goal attempts over seven NFL seasons with various teams.
Karty, 24, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Rams in 2024. After a promising rookie year, he faced difficulties in his second season, missing five of 15 field goal attempts and being benched. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad late last season but did not play in a game for them.
