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Chiefs Add Tucker Amid Butker's Kicking Woes
29 Oct
Summary
- Chiefs signed kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad.
- Tucker served a 10-week suspension for personal conduct violations.
- Harrison Butker's recent field goal misses prompted the move.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to their practice squad on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, introducing competition for placekicker Harrison Butker amid his recent struggles. Tucker, who last played in the 2024 season, had been serving a 10-week suspension following an NFL investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior during massage appointments, which he has denied.
Butker remains on the active roster, with coach Andy Reid expecting him to handle kicking duties for the upcoming game against the Denver Broncos. Tucker's signing comes after Butker converted only 11 of 16 field-goal attempts (68.8%) through six games, including two misses in the previous week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The decision to sign Tucker, who was released by the Baltimore Ravens on May 5, 2025, after violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, has faced scrutiny. Former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz publicly questioned the move, citing the serious allegations and Tucker's less accurate final season in Baltimore.
Tucker's suspension concluded on November 11, 2025, and he did not appeal. His agent stated that Tucker accepted the resolution to close the matter, despite maintaining his innocence. Tucker's 2024 season with the Ravens was statistically his least accurate, converting 73.3% of his field goals. Coach Reid addressed the signing, stating Tucker had "took care of that business there" regarding his suspension.
