Ravens Release Justin Tucker, NFL’s All-Time Most Accurate Field Goal Kicker

Tucker, the league’s all-time leader in field-goal percentage, is under an NFL investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker reacts after one of his six field goals during a game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Dec. 16, 2013. Duane Burleson/AP Photo

Justin Tucker, the NFL’s all-time leader in field goal conversion percentage and a stalwart with the Baltimore Ravens for 13 years, is now without an NFL home. Baltimore released Tucker on May 5 amid both a decline in efficiency and an ongoing investigation by the league into alleged sexual misconduct.

“Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances,” Ravens’ GM Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker ...  one of the league’s best kickers for over a decade.”

The move came just nine days after Baltimore made franchise history by taking kicker Tyler Loop of Arizona in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. In their 30^th year as an NFL franchise, this was the first time the Ravens spent a draft pick on a kicker, and it signaled that Tucker’s time could be coming to an end.

Tucker’s performance last season undoubtedly played a role in his release. He converted just 22 of 30 field-goal attempts for a 73.3 percent conversion rate. That was well below the league average of 84 percent and ranked 30^th of 36 eligible kickers. Also, the eight missed field goals by Tucker were the fourth-most in the NFL, and both his number of misses and conversion percentage were career-lows.

But perhaps the biggest reason for the Ravens’ decision was Tucker’s his alleged misconduct, which reportedly took place during his first five NFL seasons from 2012 to 2016. Tucker has been accused of misconduct by 16 massage therapists in the Baltimore area, with the allegations first coming to light in January 2025.

Tucker responded in a social media post calling them “unequivocally false” and “desperate tabloid fodder.”

In February, the NFL began an investigation into Tucker that is still ongoing. The league also said it won’t release any updates until the investigation is completed.

Baltimore’s decision marks a turn from the franchise’s original stance. In late March, Ravens President Sashi Brown said the team would wait on the league to complete the investigation before making any decisions on Tucker’s future.

“From our standpoint, we want to make sure we have great understanding of the facts. Hear both sides of the situation and that we allow the investigation to be properly conducted and concluded and make decisions based on full information,” Brown said on March 30.

Nonetheless, the most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history is now a free agent for the first time since signing with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Even with last season’s dip, Tucker’s 89.1 field goal percentage for his career is the highest mark in league history. His 98.5 conversion percentage on extra points is the highest among all active kickers, as is his total of made field goals, 417.

Tucker is a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time first-team All-Pro, leading all kickers in NFL history in those honors. He also owns a number of in-game records, including converting the longest field goal in league history, a 66-yarder versus the Detroit Lions in 2021. That game-winning kick at the end of regulation was voted the 2021 Moment of the Year at the annual NFL Honors Show.

Tucker was the longest-tenured Raven and the last remaining player from their 2012 Super Bowl-winning squad. His 1,775 career points are the most in franchise history, and 16th-most in NFL history, while his 212 games played are the fourth-most in Ravens team history.

The kicker is among a number of veterans that the Ravens are moving on from. The team also released safety Marcus Williams, while linebacker Malik Harrison and lineman Patrick Mekari departed in free agency. Defensive tackle Michael Pierce retired after spending seven of his eight NFL seasons in Baltimore.

Tucker and Loop, his apparent replacement, are both from Texas, with the former from Austin and the rookie from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Loop attended the University of Arizona, where he led the NCAA with a perfect field-goal conversion percentage in 2021 as he went 12 for 12. He finished his four-year Pac-12 career ranked second all-time in field goal percentage (86) and went 18 for 23 (78.3 percent) in his lone year in the Big 12 last season.

Loop is also an emergency punter. He attempted 28 punts during his college career and ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in yards per punt during the 2020 season.