What to know about Justin Tucker’s return to the NFL

Key Points:

• Justin Tucker, the longtime Baltimore Ravens kicker suspended in 2025 due to multiple allegations of inappropriate conduct, has been signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, marking his potential return to the NFL after over a year out of the league.
• Chiefs starter Harrison Butker has struggled this season, and while Tucker is unlikely to play immediately, he could replace Butker if his performance does not improve and Tucker impresses in practice.
• Tucker was suspended for 10 weeks in 2025 following an NFL investigation that found 16 massage therapists had accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior during sessions from 2012 to 2016; Tucker has denied all allegations and has not faced legal action.
• The allegations and suspension, combined with a decline in performance, led to Tucker’s release from the Ravens in May 2025 despite having three years left on a lucrative contract; he remained unsigned until this recent Chiefs signing.
• Tucker was a highly decorated kicker and popular figure in Baltimore, known for his NFL records and unique talents such as opera singing, but his return has drawn disappointment and criticism from some of the accusers and others in the massage therapy community.