The Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to their practice squad on Wednesday, October 28, giving Harrison Butker new competition after his recent field-goal struggles.
Tucker, 36, last played during the 2024 season. He served a suspension covering the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season after an NFL investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior during massage appointments. Tucker has denied the allegations.
Butker remains on the active roster. Coach Andy Reid said he expects Butker to kick against the Denver Broncos on Sunday and receive most of this week’s practice reps.
The decision also drew criticism from former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz. He cited the misconduct allegations against Tucker, the league’s punishment and the kicker’s poor final season in Baltimore.
Butker’s Missed Field Goals Prompt Competition
Chiefs are signing K Justin Tucker to their practice squad, as @SamMcDowell11 reported. Tucker hasn’t kicked in the NFL since 2024 after violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy following allegations of inappropriate misconduct. https://t.co/fddZBV6UTE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 28, 2026
The Chiefs listed Tucker’s signing among their completed transactions on October 28. Kansas City had worked out three kickers, including Tucker and former Rams kicker Harrison Mevis, according to NFL.com. Through six games, Butker has made 11 of 16 field-goal attempts, a 68.8% success rate.
Two misses came in Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. His 58-yard attempt fell short before halftime, and a 45-yard attempt went wide right in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City had won its first five games before the defeat. Its November 1 visit to Denver will be the teams’ second meeting this season. The Chiefs won their opener against the Broncos 31-10.
The NFL Suspended Tucker After Its Misconduct Investigation
Sixteen massage therapists from eight Baltimore-area spas accused Tucker of inappropriate behavior during appointments between 2012 and 2016. The Baltimore Banner first published allegations on January 30, 2025, after the Ravens’ season had ended.
Tucker rejected the accounts and said he had never behaved inappropriately during a massage. He also said the accusations had harmed him and his family.
The Ravens released him on May 5, 2025. General manager Eric DeCosta described the move as a football decision and thanked Tucker for his years with the organization.
On June 26, the NFL announced that Tucker had violated its personal conduct policy. The suspension covered the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season, and he became eligible for reinstatement on November 11.
Tucker served the suspension as a free agent and did not appeal. His agent, Rob Roche, reiterated Tucker’s denials while saying he had advised the kicker to accept the resolution and close the matter.
His Final Ravens Season Fell Below His Career Standard
Tucker joined Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2012 and helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII as a rookie. He made all four of his field-goal attempts during that postseason.
Over 13 seasons, he earned seven Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pro honors. He converted 417 of 468 regular-season field-goal attempts, giving him a career success rate of 89.1%.
His final season was his least accurate. In 2024, Tucker made 22 of 30 attempts, or 73.3%. Five of his eight misses came from 50 yards or longer.
Schwartz Criticizes the Move as Reid Addresses Questions
Schwartz reacted with disbelief on X, then challenged NFL insider Ian Rapoport’s presentation of the news. According to ClutchPoints, Schwartz objected to emphasizing Tucker’s achievements while mentioning his suspension without explaining the reason for it.
“Why are we hiding this?!?” Schwartz wrote. Reid addressed the decision to bring Tucker into the organization during his Wednesday news conference.
“He’s done his suspension. Took care of that business there. I’ll leave it at that for you,” Reid said, according to KCTV5. In response to a follow-up question about second chances, Reid said he tries to do his homework on players.