Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated the team's decision regarding the kicker position, which involves veteran Justin Tucker and rookie Tyler Loop, will hinge strictly on football performance. The announcement comes as Tucker faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
Numerous massage therapists have accused Justin Tucker of inappropriate behavior, including sexual misconduct. accused of inappropriate behavior He has publicly denied the claims. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies claims of sexual misconduct towards massage therapists The NFL is conducting an investigation into the allegations.The Ravens drafted Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of this year's draft, signaling a potential competition at the position.Harbaugh explained that the decision is multifaceted but must ultimately be based on what is best for the team on the field. This includes considering the rookie kicker's talent, his draft position, and factors like the salary cap.
"Every decision we make has to be based on football," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot of layers to that. You've got a rookie kicker, and here you took him in the sixth round, early in the sixth round. He's a talented guy. 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 will be based on football."
Offseason training activities for the Ravens are scheduled to begin on May 27. This timeline is expected to mark the start of the competition between the two kickers.
While Justin Tucker holds records for longest field goal and career field goal percentage and is widely considered a top kicker, his 2024 season saw a drop in field goal percentage compared to his career average.
Harbaugh noted that the team is not receiving information about the ongoing NFL investigation and cannot base personnel decisions on speculation.
