Justin Tucker Chiefs practice squad move marks NFL return after suspension

Justin Tucker Chiefs practice squad news puts one of the NFL’s most accomplished kickers back with a team for the first time since 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed the former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro kicker, with coach Andy Reid expected to address the move at his weekly news conference Wednesday.

Tucker’s arrival comes after a long absence from the league and at a moment when Kansas City’s kicking spot has drawn scrutiny. Harrison Butker remained on the Chiefs’ active roster Wednesday, but his recent misses have added urgency to the team’s evaluation of the position.

Tucker returns after suspension and Ravens exit

Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Ravens and built a reputation as one of the NFL’s best kickers. His time in Baltimore ended in controversy before the Ravens released him in May.

The Baltimore Banner reported in 2025 that Tucker had been accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists at a series of high-end spas. Tucker denied the accusations, calling them “unequivocally false” and “tabloid fodder.”

Tucker was never criminally charged or sued in civil court. The NFL suspended him for the first 10 games of the 2025 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, a suspension he served while he was a free agent. He became eligible for reinstatement last November.

Before this reported move to Kansas City, Tucker worked out for the New York Jets before this season but did not sign with them. He turns 37 next month.

Chiefs add a decorated kicker with recent questions

The reported signing gives Kansas City a five-time All-Pro option on its practice squad, but Tucker is not arriving without football concerns. He missed 10 kicks during the 2024 season, his final year before being released by Baltimore.

That context matters for a Chiefs team attempting to stabilize a position that has become more uncertain over the past two seasons. Tucker’s career résumé is strong, but his last on-field stretch did not match the standard he established over more than a decade with the Ravens.

The move also does not immediately remove Butker from the picture. He was still on the active roster Wednesday, meaning Tucker’s addition could be used to create another option rather than signal an immediate change on game day.

Butker’s misses form the backdrop in Kansas City

Butker has struggled over the last two seasons. Since the start of last season, he has missed 10 field-goal attempts and five extra points, the most in the league.

His recent form has intensified the focus. Butker has missed multiple kicks in back-to-back games and four of his last six overall. That included two costly misses in the Chiefs’ 20-3 loss to the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday.

For a team with championship expectations, those misses have made the kicking position harder to ignore. The reported Tucker move gives Kansas City another experienced specialist to evaluate as it considers how to handle the position going forward.

What comes next

Reid was expected to discuss the situation at his weekly news conference later Wednesday. Until the Chiefs outline their plans, Butker remains on the active roster and Tucker’s reported role begins on the practice squad.

The next step is whether Kansas City treats Tucker as short-term competition, insurance, or a potential game-day option. For Tucker, the move represents a return to an NFL team after suspension, controversy and a season spent outside a roster.