Chiefs Kicking Controversy Kicks Off With Reid’s Comments On Tucker

The Kansas City Chiefs now officially have a kicking controversy, as coach Andy Reid commented on the Chiefs adding former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad with longtime kicker Harrison Butker currently struggling. 

The reports came from Mike Florio and Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, along with multiple other outlets. Butker has missed a total of five field goals this season, including four in the last two weeks, and he appears to be losing range on kicks over 50 yards. Reid has been loyal to Butker so far, but he said the kicker “understands the business and how it works.”

Adding Tucker automatically raises questions about the Chiefs penchant for taking on players with charcter issues. Per Florio, Tucker was released by the Ravens in May 2025 after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple massage therapistsm and he was suspended 10 games by the league under the Personal Conduct Policy while he was a free agent. 

Reid said the Chiefs have done their “homework” about Tucker, and the coach’s answer was a terse “he’s done his suspension” when he was asked about the message this sends to female fans. Reid added that the kicker “took care of business” there, although Florio also noted that the coach didn’t explain exactly what tha meant. 

The bottom line is that Tucker “did really well” in his workout for the Chiefs on Tuesday, to the point where the possibility of replacing Butker is now on the table unless  Butker can “pick it up a bit.” 

Kansas City’s 20-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night may also be playing a part in this. The Chiefs were dominated by the Seattle defense, and their offense was badly exposed, so Reid knows his margin for error is a lot slimmer than the days when Patrick Mahomes was making plays and turning games into track meets. 

The Chief also face the Denver Broncos on the road at Mile High Empower on Sunday, and that could be a factor, too. These two teams typically play close games, and there’s a possibility that longer field goals at altitude could come into play this week. Butker hasn’t shown the ability to make those, and Tucker was once viewed as a lock for the Hall of Fame back when he had the biggest leg in the game. 

Butker certainly isn't all that right now, and Tucker hasn't kicked in an NFL game in years, so this is definitely a story line to watch as we get closer to Sunday.