Ravens release All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker
Photo Credit: Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Per a team release on Monday, May 5, the Baltimore Ravens announced they were releasing kicker Justin Tucker.
"Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances. Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker," said Eric DeCosta, Ravens vice president and general manager. "Justin created many significant and unforgettable moments in Ravens history. His reliability, focus, drive, resilience and extraordinary talent made him one of the league's best kickers for over a decade.”
The news of Tucker’s release comes as the NFL is investigating Tucker for sexual misconduct. During the back end of the 2024 season, Tucker was accused of sexual misconduct by 16 local massage therapists. Per the original release from the Baltimore Banner, all of the alleged incidents took place between 2012 and 2016, Tucker’s first five years in the league. Six therapists came forward at first, followed by 10 more who all shared similar stories about their interactions with Tucker. The Ravens made no mention of the allegations in their team statement posted to social media on Monday.
The NFL began its investigation in February, with commissioner Roger Goodell classifying the allegations as “serious.” The NFL is still actively investigating the alleged misconduct incidents involving Tucker, but the league will not reveal any information until the investigation is complete.
Tucker is not facing criminal charges and has denied the allegations, claiming they are “unequivocally false.”
DeCosta, Ravens president Sashi Brown, and head coach John Harbaugh noted that they take the allegations seriously and were cooperating with the league, but would not make a decision on Tucker’s future with the team until the final investigative report is released. That all changed on Monday.
The Ravens are adamant that this was purely a football decision.
"Every decision we make has to be based on football,” said John Harbaugh at Ravens’ minicamp on Sunday, one day before Tucker was released. “Just from a football standpoint, salary cap, all the different things that you just take into consideration — whatever we decide to do over the next few weeks would be based on football."
Tucker was one of the league’s worst kickers last year. The 35-year-old’s 73.3 field goal percentage was the worst mark of his 13-year career and ranked 31st among qualifying kickers during the 2024 season. Despite his poor performances last season, Tucker is regarded as one of the league’s best-ever kickers. The seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro has a career 89.1 field goal percentage, the best in NFL history. Tucker also holds the record for the league’s longest field goal, nailing a game-winning 66-yard field goal in September 2021.
More questions about Tucker’s future arose during the NFL Draft when the Ravens selected Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round, marking the first time the organization drafted a kicker in its 30-year history.
In 50 career college games, Loop only missed two extra points (126-128) and had an 83.8 field goal percentage, a school record. Loop had one of the biggest legs in this year’s class, making a 62-yard field goal last season, tied for the fourth-longest made field goal in FBS history since 1996.
The Ravens cut Tucker one season after he signed a four-year, $22 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid kicker at the time. Tucker was the last remaining player on the Ravens from the team’s 2012 Super Bowl win.
While the Ravens seem comfortable moving on with Loop, Tucker is now a free agent and will most likely remain unsigned until the NFL concludes its sexual misconduct investigation.
