Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid offered a concise explanation Wednesday regarding the franchise’s decision to sign veteran kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad. Tucker has been out of the NFL since 2024 following a series of sexual misconduct allegations that led to a league suspension.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Reid kept his remarks brief when asked about the message the signing conveys to female fans. “He’s done his suspension. Took care of his business there. I’ll leave it at that,” Reid said.
The Chiefs added the 37-year-old kicker to their practice squad to introduce competition at the position amid struggles from starting kicker Harrison Butker, who has missed five of his 16 field-goal attempts this season. When questioned about the extent of team ownership’s involvement in the transaction, Reid stated that the organization conducts thorough background evaluations. “We try to do our homework best way we possibly can, and talk to a lot of people, and make sure things are okay,” he said.
Tucker last played in the NFL during the 2024 season with the Baltimore Ravens. In January 2025, published reports detailed accounts from six women accusing Tucker of nonconsensual sexual behavior during massage therapy sessions between 2012 and 2016, alleging incidents including exposure of genitals. The following month, 10 additional massage therapists came forward with further accusations.
At the time, Tucker denied all allegations, initially issuing a statement describing them as unequivocally false. He maintained that he never acted inappropriately during professional bodywork treatments and had never been informed he was unwelcome at any provider. In a subsequent statement, Tucker expressed distress that anyone he worked with felt disrespected and offered an apology to anyone who felt otherwise.
The NFL subsequently suspended Tucker for the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season following an investigation, though he remained unsigned throughout the remainder of that year. Earlier this year, Tucker participated in a workout with the Miami Dolphins.
Reid emphasized that his evaluation accounts for the time that has elapsed and the completion of the disciplinary penalty. “I try to do homework on it, see exactly what’s taken place since. He served a suspension, there’s been time involved with it. That’s how I evaluate it,” Reid said, declining to elaborate on the specific inquiries made during the evaluation process.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also addressed the roster addition on Wednesday, expressing trust in the organization’s leadership. “We had a lot of people that we’ve added in and out,” Mahomes said. “I try not to get too high or too low on anything. I know general manager Brett Veach and the front office do a great job of bringing great players in. But for me, it was about the Denver Broncos and moving on and continuing to get better.”
Historically, Tucker ranks second all-time in the NFL in field-goal kicking percentage. However, his final season with Baltimore saw a decline in performance as he converted a career-worst 73.3% of his field-goal attempts.
