Justin Tucker Bio
Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American professional football placekicker widely regarded as one of the greatest kickers in National Football League (NFL) history. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012, where he spent 13 seasons as the franchise’s placekicker. Tucker previously held the NFL record for the longest field goal at 66 yards and ranks among the league’s all-time leaders in career field goal percentage at 89.1%. He has earned seven Pro Bowl selections, five First-team All-Pro honors, and was a member of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 191 pounds, Tucker built his reputation on accuracy, distance, and consistency from his first NFL season onward. Beyond football, he is a classically trained bass-baritone singer and a devout Catholic, known for making the sign of the cross before every kick.
Early Life and Background
Justin Paul Tucker was born on November 21, 1989, in Houston, Texas, and grew up in the Austin area. He attended Westlake High School in Austin, where he played wide receiver, safety, and placekicker on the Westlake Chaparrals football team. At Westlake, he was teammates with future NFL quarterback Nick Foles, tight end Kyle Adams, and linebacker Bryce Hager, and he also played soccer from age three or four up until his sophomore year of high school.
Tucker appeared in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, an early indicator of his kicking talent. After high school, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he joined the Longhorns football program and developed into one of the most reliable kickers in school history. He finished his college career with an 83.3% field goal conversion rate, the third-best mark in program history, although he was not invited to the East-West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl, or the NFL Scouting Combine.
Originally a communications major, Tucker switched his focus to recording technology and studied under Nikita Storojev at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music, where he learned to sing operatically in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin, and Russian. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music a semester early in order to train for the NFL draft.
Path to Professional Football
To promote himself ahead of the 2012 NFL draft, Tucker filmed an uncut, unedited five-minute YouTube video showing him making all 10 of his field goal attempts from left, right, and center angles at distances ranging from 30 to 55 yards. At the end of the video, he looked into the camera and said, “Pick me.” The clip drew attention around the league but did not lead to a draft selection, as four kickers were chosen in the 2012 draft ahead of him.
After going undrafted, Tucker signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent on May 29, 2012, joining incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff. Following a strong preseason, Tucker was named the team’s starting kicker and Cundiff was released. Tucker also earned a Second-team All-Big 12 selection for his 2011 college season, a belated recognition of his final year at Texas.
Justin Tucker Career
Early Career (2012-2013)
In his 2012 rookie season, Tucker quickly established himself as one of the league’s most accurate kickers, converting all 42 of his extra point attempts and missing only three of his 33 field goal attempts. He kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal in a narrow Week 3 victory over the New England Patriots and added two more game-winning kicks in a Week 16 overtime win at the San Diego Chargers. In the postseason, Tucker drilled a 47-yard double-overtime field goal to beat the Denver Broncos 38-35 in the Divisional Round, a play that helped send the Ravens to Super Bowl XLVII.
During Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers, Tucker’s two fourth-quarter field goals helped secure a 34-31 victory, earning him his first Super Bowl ring. His 2013 follow-up campaign was even more impressive, as he led the NFL in field goal attempts and makes, earned his first Pro Bowl selection, and was voted First-team All-Pro. A signature moment came in a December 16, 2013 game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, when Tucker tied a franchise record with six field goals, including a 61-yard game-winner as time expired, becoming the first kicker in NFL history to kick a field goal in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s in the same game.
Breakthrough Seasons (2014-2016)
Tucker continued his consistent production through the middle of the decade. In 2014, he converted all 42 extra point attempts and 29 of 34 field goal attempts while contributing 129 of the then-franchise-record 409 points the Ravens scored that season. He added multiple game-winning kicks in 2015, including a 52-yard overtime field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a 47-yard walk-off winner against the St. Louis Rams.
The 2016 season marked Tucker’s best statistical year. He converted all but one of his field goal attempts, leading the league with 38 makes, and tied the NFL single-season record with 10 field goals of more than 50 yards. His efforts earned him his second Pro Bowl selection and his second career First-team All-Pro nod. During this stretch, the Ravens placed the franchise tag on Tucker in February 2016 before signing him to a four-year, $16.8 million extension in July.
Record-Setting Years (2017-2021)
Tucker’s reputation as a clutch performer grew throughout the late 2010s. He completed 34 of 37 field goal attempts and a perfect 39-for-39 on extra points in 2017, earning Second-team All-Pro honors. In 2018, he became the first player in NFL history with six seasons of 30 or more made field goals and was again named First-team All-Pro. The following year, he signed a four-year, $23.05 million contract extension with $12 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through the 2023 season.
The 2021 season produced Tucker’s most iconic moment. In Week 3 against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, he kicked an NFL record 66-yard field goal as time expired to win the game 19-17, breaking his own record and standing as the longest field goal in league history for years. He finished 2021 converting all 32 extra points and 35 of 37 field goal attempts, leading qualified NFL kickers in field goal percentage. He was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl and earned his fifth First-team All-Pro selection.
Baltimore Ravens Era (2012-2024)
Tucker’s tenure with the Baltimore Ravens spanned 13 consecutive seasons, making him one of the longest-tenured kickers in franchise history. He became the Ravens’ all-time leading scorer in 2022 with a 42-yard field goal in a narrow 16-14 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. That same season, he signed a four-year, $24 million extension that briefly made him the highest-paid kicker in the league.
His 2022 production was again among the league’s best, leading the NFL in field goals attempted and made. After a 2023 season that included six made field goals in a Week 6 win over the Tennessee Titans in London, his struggles mounted during the 2024 campaign. On May 5, 2025, the Ravens released Tucker after 13 seasons with the team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tucker built his career on accuracy, distance, and composure under pressure. His career field goal percentage of 89.1% placed him among the league’s all-time leaders, and he was widely respected for his ability to convert long-distance attempts in high-leverage moments. His partnership with longtime holder Sam Koch and long snapper Morgan Cox gave him one of the most reliable specialist units in the NFL for more than a decade.
Notable Events and Milestones
Tucker holds a share of the NFL record for the longest field goal in league history at 66 yards, set in 2021 against the Detroit Lions. He became the first kicker in NFL history to kick a field goal in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s in the same game, and was the first player with six seasons of 30 or more made field goals. He is also a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the Ravens’ all-time leading scorer.
Justin Tucker Career Wins
Across his 13 NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Justin Tucker compiled 417 made field goals on 468 attempts, a career 89.1% success rate. He also converted 524 of 532 extra point attempts and scored 1,775 career points, establishing himself as one of the most productive kickers of his era.
Ravens Career Highlights
Tucker earned five First-team All-Pro selections (2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021), three Second-team All-Pro selections (2017, 2020, 2022), and seven Pro Bowl selections (2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). His signature wins include the Super Bowl XLVII victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the 2012 Divisional Round overtime win at Denver, and his 66-yard game-winner at Detroit in 2021.
Other Wins & Performances
Before turning professional, Tucker was a Second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2011 and was named to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2008. He also won Royal Farms’ “Most Valuable Performer” talent show in 2015 with his operatic rendition of “Ave Maria,” earning $50,000 for the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Justin Tucker Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Information about Justin Tucker’s parents and family background is not publicly confirmed in available records.
Personal Life
Justin Tucker is a devout Catholic and makes the sign of the cross before every kick. He is a classically trained bass-baritone who can sing opera in seven different languages and has been invited to perform by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Orchestra of New York. Tucker married Amanda Bass in March 2015, and the couple has a son.
2025 Season Performance
Tucker was released by the Baltimore Ravens on May 5, 2025, ending a 13-year run with the franchise. On June 26, 2025, the NFL announced a 10-game suspension for Tucker following an investigation into allegations from massage therapists, which he has denied. He declined to appeal the decision, with his agent stating Tucker hoped to put the episode behind him and return to the field.
Following the suspension, Tucker had tryouts with the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts but was not signed by either team. As of the 2025 season, Tucker’s NFL future remains uncertain, and no team commitment has been confirmed.
