Chiefs head coach Reid defends signing Tucker — BBC Sport

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has defended the club’s decision to sign kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad. According to him, the player has already served a 10-game NFL suspension and can be immediately available to play in games.

Coach’s position

As BBC Sport reports, Reid said at a press conference on Wednesday that Tucker had served his suspension. He also said that before bringing in the player, the club had tried to thoroughly review the situation and had spoken with many people.

When asked about the details of that review, Reid declined to disclose them. The coach noted that Tucker is already on the team’s practice squad.

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Suspension and statistics

Last year, 16 massage therapists from the Baltimore area accused Tucker of sexually inappropriate behavior that, they claimed, took place in the 2010s. The 36-year-old kicker has consistently denied the allegations, and no criminal charges were brought against him.

Following an investigation, the NFL suspended Tucker for 10 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He served the punishment last season. The Baltimore Ravens released the player in May 2025, calling it a football decision amid a decline in his form.

Tucker is a five-time All-Pro and ranks second in NFL history in field-goal accuracy, at 89.1% over 13 seasons. In 2024, he converted 73.3% of his attempts, the worst mark of his career. The Chiefs brought him in after a poor stretch from starting kicker Harrison Butker, who has missed five of 16 field goals this season.