Andy Reid defends Justin Tucker signing, says Harrison Butker will 'probably' kick vs. Broncos

A day after the Kansas City Chiefs added Justin Tucker to their practice squad, the story shifted from the signing itself to what comes next: how the team justified bringing in a kicker with a suspension in his recent past, and whether Harrison Butker keeps his job. Head coach Andy Reid answered both questions at his regular Wednesday media session.

What did Andy Reid say about signing Justin Tucker?

Reid said the Chiefs looked into Tucker’s background before the move. “We try to do our homework the best way we possibly can,” Reid said, according to The Kansas City Star. “I talked to a lot of people, make sure things are OK.”

He declined to say who he spoke with or what the team learned. Asked what message the signing sends to Chiefs fans, Reid pointed to the league discipline Tucker already served. “He’s got his suspension,” Reid said, per the Star. “(He took) care of that business there. I’ll leave it at that for you.”

NBC Sports reported that Reid said Tucker “did really well” in a Tuesday workout that led to the signing. The Star reported, citing columnist Sam McDowell, that Kansas City also worked out kickers Ben Sauls and Harrison Mevis this week.

Is Harrison Butker still the Chiefs kicker?

For this week, very likely yes. Reid said Butker will “probably” remain the kicker for Sunday’s game at Denver, NBC Sports and KMBC reported, and the Star said Butker will keep getting most of the practice reps.

Reid framed Tucker’s arrival as insurance. “Harrison, I love. He’s one of my favorite guys,” he said, as quoted by KMBC. “So, he understands the business and how it works. And we had a practice squad position open, and so, for security we brought (Tucker) in and put him in that spot that we had open. Butker gets it.”

He was also blunt about the struggles. “Right now, his technique’s off a bit,” Reid said, per KMBC. “It’s not as consistent as he wants it.” NBC Sports quoted him saying Butker “needs to pick it up a little bit.”

Why are the Chiefs worried about Butker?

The numbers explain it. The Star lists Butker at 11-for-16 on field goals this season (68.8%), near the bottom of the league. He missed two of three tries in Sunday’s 20-3 loss at Seattle, including a first-half attempt that KMBC said fell short, something rarely seen from one of the league’s strongest legs. NBC Sports counts five missed field goals this season and four missed kicks over the last two weeks.

The Star called this one of the clearest challenges to Butker’s job since he became Kansas City’s starter midway through the 2017 season. NBC Sports wrote that whether Tucker gets into a game will likely depend in large part on how Butker kicks on Sunday.

What did Justin Tucker do? An allegations update

There are no new allegations in the latest reporting. The background, as summarized by the Star and NBC Sports:

• In January 2025, The Baltimore Banner published accounts from massage therapists in the Baltimore area alleging sexually inappropriate conduct by Tucker. By February, the number had grown to 16.
• Tucker denied the allegations.
• The Ravens released him in May 2025; general manager Eric DeCosta called it a “football decision,” the Star reported.
• The NFL suspended him 10 games under its personal conduct policy. He did not appeal, and he became eligible for reinstatement in November 2025, but no team signed him that season.

The Star also reports that Tucker worked out for the Colts, Jets, Saints and Dolphins over the past two seasons before Kansas City became the first team to sign him.

What Tucker brings on the field

On paper, a lot. Tucker, 36, is a five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, a member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and the kicker on Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII winner, according to the Star. He ranks second in NFL history in career field-goal percentage at 89.1%. His last season, 2024, was his worst by that measure, at a career-low 73.3%.

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Earlier coverage: Chiefs sign Justin Tucker to practice squad as Harrison Butker struggles, reports say (Oct 28)