Way back in 2012, Justin Tucker uploaded YouTube videos kicking the ball, trying to solidify his stock in the draft. But he still went undrafted. Perplexed, right? Wait, there’s more to this. The Ravens signed him as an undrafted free agent. And in his very first season, he played in the Super Bowl (XLVII), scored 2 field goals, and sealed the victory. Not only did he win the ring, but he also won the respect of millions of fans and players. One of them was Lamar Jackson, just a high school student then.
The quarterback arrived later and joined the franchise in the 2018 draft as a first-round pick (32nd overall). He became a menace to their rivals as a dual-threat signal caller. Tucker also developed a special bond with him. Even when the kicker’s field goal percentage dropped last season, the 28-year-old defended him and said, “I believe he’s still the GOAT. H— yeah, I have confidence (in him).” But the franchise couldn’t handle the dropping results, and they decided to move on.
However, Lamar Jackson was still supportive of his friend. He shared an emotional TikTok post about missing Justin Tucker, where a fan commented, “Bro are u going to miss Justin Tucker?” The 2-times MVP replied, “h— ya.” The feelings are clear. He loves his teammate.
TRENDING: #Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson posted on TikTok that he is going to miss his former teammate Justin Tucker.
Tucker was released by the team this week. pic.twitter.com/46aZ2Ygl4x
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 8, 2025
A firm believer, Tucker followed a routine that never changed, irrespective of the outcome. He admitted in 2022 after hitting the game-winning field goal in the closing seconds of the week 5 game against the Bengals, “Whether I’m feeling confident, or nervous or outright afraid, that’s why I always make it a point to say a brief prayer as I’m lining up the kick.”
This brought the much-needed relief to the Ravens camp then. The QB acknowledged also the greatness of his kicker, “We got the G.O.A.T. at kicker.” However, the Ravens were forced to release him this week after 13 seasons. Here’s why that happened.
Ravens reveal the football decision to release Justin Tucker
A big moment which shook his football legacy was the s—– misconduct allegations in January this year against the kicker. But on May 5, the HC Jim Harbaugh claimed that those allegations had no role in determining the 35-year-old’s future. His focus was on the football ability of Justin Tucker into the Ravens future.
After they announced the decision, the GM Eric DeCosta voiced his thoughts on the same day. He said, “Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances. Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker.” He then thanked the kicker for his contributions before adding, “We sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.”
The decision came on the backdrop of his dipping form. In 2024, he played 17 games but scored 22 FGs in 30 attempts (73.3% completion rate). That’s the lowest in the 13 seasons, by a big margin. The second lowest being in the 2015 when he had 82.5% completion rate. The Ravens will not need to pay the $4.2 million salary. They designated it a post-June 1 transaction, with $4.2 million in cap space and $7.5 million in dead money charge over 2 seasons. His future is in shambles now.
The post Lamar Jackson’s 2-Word Message for Justin Tucker After Ravens Release NFL Kicker in ‘Football Decision’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.