“I think it makes sense. He’s earned it,” John Harbaugh appeared confident about the kicker. So was the 24-year-old himself. This was his first road game in his rookie year. He was met with energetic cheers from the crowd at AT&T Stadium. While Harbaugh is impressed with the young kicker, his sharp eyes didn’t miss a crucial issue, and he was quick to address it.
It wasn’t surprising when the coach kept gushing over the kicker throughout his conversation at the presser during training camp. The coach confirmed that he had passed the test to be the Ravens’ kicker with “flying colors.” However, he also added that the rookie still has room for improvement.
“He could have made that kick, the one that went left just over the upright, and then the kickoff came up a little short on the one [kickoff]. We’re really working hard on the kickoffs. You saw [the Dallas Cowboys] doing it, too, trying to find ways to make it tough for the return team to field the ball…I think you’ll see some strange kicks, probably, to try to make some things happen,” Harbaugh said, clearing his demands from the rookie.
Expectations are clear. They want the rookie, who is the first kicker selected in the draft in franchise history, to work more precisely. After all, Loop will be replacing a kicker like Justin Tucker, who finished the 2024 season converting 60 of 62 extra points and 22 of 30 field goal attempts. He had been holding the position since 2012 for Baltimore.
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This strategy is still in progress, and early in the season, fans may see some unusual kickoffs as they test things out. This came after Loop put up an incredible performance in the 31-13 win against the Cowboys. He made 5-of-6 field-goal attempts, including a 51- and 53-yarder. He only missed a 50-yard attempt in the fourth quarter. However, despite this one issue, it’s safe to say that he had the best night.
What’s even more special for the kicker was that he had his friends and family supporting him during the game. The Dallas native has proved that he can step up for the team when needed with his display of impressive athleticism and skill. This explains why the coach was so confident in his decision to call Loop to replace Justin Tucker.
John Harbaugh revealed when he decided on Tyler Loop as the primary kicker
Drafted 186th overall in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the 24-year-old became the first kicker selected by the team. Now, Tucker is out of the picture after his suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
While that put the spotlight on the rookie, he has also shown immense promise throughout training camp, making 93.4% of his field goal attempts. He had a 75-yard field goal at the minicamp. In his last season with Arizona, he delivered a standout performance, earning Lou Groza Star honors. After making a program-record 62-yard field goal, he also became a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
The undrafted rookie kicker John Hoyland was also cut by the team, raising early questions about whether the team saw Loop as the primary kicker. However, Harbaugh had refused to answer at the time but promised that a decision would be made during the preseason. True to his word, he made the decision early in the preseason.
“It seemed like the right thing to do. I think it makes sense. He’s earned it, like we said, and he’s ready. I have tremendous confidence in him, just like all the guys. He’s going to go out there and play great,” Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun‘s Brian Wacker.
He further added that the rookie would get more opportunities in the preseason to learn more and develop his game. “That’s fun,” Loop responded to his selection. That hints at what we can expect from the Loop in the regular season.
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