It felt like a glitch in the Matrix. On May 5, 2025, the Baltimore Ravens did something that seemed unthinkable for over a decade: they released Justin Tucker.
He wasn't just a kicker. In Baltimore, Tucker was a folk hero, the "Leg of Goat," and the guy you trusted more than your own car to start on a cold morning. But then, the press release hit. General Manager Eric DeCosta called it a "football decision," but honestly, everyone knew that was only half the story.
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You don't just cut the most accurate kicker in NFL history because he had one bad year. Or do you?
The Shocking Timeline of the Justin Tucker Exit
The collapse of the Tucker era didn't happen overnight, but it sure felt fast when the news broke. It started in January 2025. While fans were still mourning another playoff exit, The Baltimore Banner dropped a report that changed everything. Sixteen different massage therapists in the Baltimore area accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual conduct between 2012 and 2016.
Tucker denied it. He called the claims "simply not true" and "heartbreaking." For a few months, the city was in a weird kind of limbo. We were all waiting for the NFL to finish its investigation.
Then came the draft. The Ravens took Tyler Loop, a kicker out of Arizona, in the sixth round. That was the flashing red light. The Ravens had never drafted a kicker in the John Harbaugh era. They were clearly prepping for life without number nine.
Why the Ravens finally pulled the trigger
By May, the team decided they’d seen enough. They didn't wait for the league's final ruling. They just cut him.
The "football" side of the argument actually had some legs, even if the off-field drama was the real catalyst. Look at the numbers from 2024. They weren't just "un-Tucker-like"—they were bad.
- He hit a career-low 73.3% of his field goals.
- He missed eight kicks.
- Every single miss was from 40 yards or deeper.
- He even clanked two extra points.
For a guy making $6 million a year, that kind of dip is a problem. The Ravens are a "right player, right price" organization. They saw a 35-year-old kicker with declining range and a massive legal headache looming. They took the $4.2 million in cap savings and moved on.
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Life After Baltimore: Suspensions and Tryouts
If you thought the story ended with his release, you haven't been following the 2025 season. The NFL eventually lowered the boom, suspending Tucker for 10 games for violating the Personal Conduct Policy.
That suspension ended on November 11, 2025. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of "will they, won't they" with other teams. He worked out for the New Orleans Saints. He flew to Indianapolis for a look from the Colts. It’s weird seeing him in anything other than purple, but that’s the business.
Kinda makes you realize that in the NFL, "legacy" is a fragile thing. One day you're the GOAT, the next you're a "post-June 1 cut" with a 10-game ban attached to your name.
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What This Means for Your Fantasy Team and the Ravens
If you’re still holding out hope for a Tucker resurgence in Baltimore, it's over. Tyler Loop is the guy now. He’s younger, cheaper, and doesn't come with the baggage.
For the rest of the league, Tucker is a high-risk, high-reward veteran. If he can get his head right and regain that 50-plus yard power, someone will eventually sign him. But for now, he’s a cautionary tale about how quickly an era can end.
Moving forward with the Ravens kicking game
If you're following the Ravens in 2026, keep an eye on these factors:
- Tyler Loop’s consistency: He doesn’t need to be Tucker 2.0; he just needs to be reliable inside 45 yards.
- The Cap Space: DeCosta used that saved money to shore up the offensive line. It’s a trade-off the team felt they had to make.
- The PR Shift: The Ravens have scrubbed much of the Tucker era from their current marketing. They are firmly in the "new chapter" phase.
The best thing fans can do is watch the transaction wire. Tucker is a free agent, and with several teams struggling with kicking consistency as we head into the 2026 season, he might just find a home. But it won’t be at M&T Bank Stadium. That bridge hasn't just been burned; it’s been demolished.