Chiefs Sign Veteran Kicker Justin Tucker to Practice Squad

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is currently tied for the NFL lead in missed field goals. The team has responded by signing eight-time All-Pro Justin Tucker to its practice squad.

Tucker, the NFL's second all-time leader in field goal percentage, has been out of work since the Baltimore Ravens released him in May 2025. That release followed reports of allegations regarding improper conduct during massage therapy sessions between 2012 and 2016. The league suspended Tucker for 10 games under its personal conduct policy, even though he never faced criminal charges.

Butker remains on the active 53-man roster despite the new signing. The decision comes three days after he missed attempts from 58 and 45 yards out in a 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7. This season, Butker has missed five field goals, tying him with Green Bay's Trey Smack and New York's Dominic Zvada for the most misses in the league.

His consistency has been a concern for much of the year. Butker is 11-for-16 on field goal attempts in 2026. He has also missed an extra point or field goal in 15 of his last 26 regular season games.

Tucker has a history with the Chiefs, most notably a pregame confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce before the 2023 AFC Championship Game. Kelce later explained on New Heights that Tucker violated an unwritten rule by placing his helmet in the warmup area. Kelce said, “If you want to be a f, ing d, about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f, ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up .. If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.”

Tucker is 36 years old and will turn 37 in late November. He joins the roster ahead of the Chiefs' Week 8 game against the Denver Broncos.