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 NFL history. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns before signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012, going on to spend 13 seasons with the franchise. Tucker once held the NFL record for the longest field goal at 66 yards, ranks fourth all-time in career field goal percentage at 89.1 percent, and has earned seven Pro Bowl selections and five First-team All-Pro honors. He was a member of the Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.
Early Life and Background
Justin Paul Tucker was born on November 21, 1989, in Houston, Texas. He grew up in the Austin area and attended Westlake High School, where he played wide receiver, safety, and placekicker for the Westlake Chaparrals. At Westlake he was a teammate of future NFL quarterback Nick Foles, tight end Kyle Adams, and linebacker Bryce Hager, and he also played soccer from a young age up until his sophomore year of high school. His senior season led to an invitation to the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he gained national exposure as a kicking prospect.
Off the field, Tucker developed a deep love of music that would later become part of his public identity. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he originally studied communications before switching his focus to recording technology. Tucker studied voice under Nikita Storojev at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music, training to sing operatically in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin, and Russian. He ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music a semester early in order to train for the NFL draft.
Path to Professional Football
Tucker played college football at the University of Texas at Austin and finished his career with an 83.3 percent field goal conversion rate, the third-best mark in program history. His most famous college moment came in 2011, when he kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired against Texas A&M University, capping a 117-year rivalry with a 27–25 victory for the No. 25 Longhorns. Despite that signature kick, Tucker was not invited to the East-West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl, or the NFL Scouting Combine.
To promote himself ahead of the 2012 NFL Draft, Tucker posted an uncut, unedited five-minute YouTube video in which he made all 10 of his field goal attempts from distances of 30 to 55 yards, ending the clip by looking into the camera and saying, “Pick me.” After going undrafted, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens on May 29, 2012, and beat out incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff during the preseason to claim the starting job.
Justin Tucker Career
Early Career (2012-2013)
Tucker arrived in Baltimore and immediately delivered one of the most accurate debut seasons in league history, making all 42 of his extra point attempts and 30 of 33 field goals in 2012. His first signature moment came in Week 3, when a 27-yard field goal as time expired beat the New England Patriots 31–30 in a game officiated by replacement referees. In the Divisional Round of the playoffs he drilled a 47-yard field goal in double overtime to defeat the Denver Broncos 38–35 on the road, sending Baltimore to the AFC Championship Game. Two weeks later, Tucker converted two fourth-quarter field goals in Super Bowl XLVII to help the Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34–31 and earn his first championship ring.
The 2013 season cemented Tucker’s stardom. He set a franchise record by kicking six field goals in a narrow 18–16 win at Detroit, including a 61-yard game-winner as time expired, becoming the first kicker in NFL history to make field goals from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s in the same game. He led the league in field goal attempts and conversions, earned his first Pro Bowl selection, and was named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.
Baltimore Ravens Breakthrough (2014-2018)
From 2014 through 2016, Tucker established himself as the most reliable kicker in football. The Ravens placed the franchise tag on him in February 2016 and later signed him to a four-year, $16.8 million extension. In 2016, Tucker finished with 38 made field goals and was named to his second Pro Bowl and second First-team All-Pro squad. He added a Second-team All-Pro honor in 2017 and continued his ascent in 2018, when he became the first player in NFL history with six seasons of 30 or more made field goals, earned another First-team All-Pro nod, and helped Baltimore secure a late-season win over the Cincinnati Bengals with a 24-yard fourth-quarter field goal.
Tucker’s late-game heroics became a defining feature of this era. He hit walk-off winners against the Cleveland Browns in 2014, against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the then-St. Louis Rams in 2015, against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, and against the Cleveland Browns in 2018. During this stretch he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week multiple times and AFC Special Teams Player of the Month on several occasions.
Baltimore Ravens Prime (2019-2022)
In April 2019, Tucker signed a four-year, $23.05 million contract extension with $12 million guaranteed. He responded by converting 57 of 59 extra points and 28 of 29 field goals, leading the NFL in extra point attempts and makes while earning his third Pro Bowl selection and another First-team All-Pro nod. Tucker was later named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010s All-Decade Team.
In 2021, Tucker authored what may be the most iconic single kick of his career, drilling a 66-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Detroit Lions 19–17 and set a new NFL record for the longest field goal. The 2022 season saw him sign a four-year, $24 million extension that made him the highest-paid kicker in the league, while on the field he hit a 61st consecutive fourth-quarter or overtime field goal, an NFL record, and became the Ravens’ all-time leading scorer.
Final Ravens Years (2023-2024)
Tucker earned his seventh Pro Bowl selection after the 2023 season despite a statistically down year, highlighted by a six-for-six field goal performance against the Tennessee Titans in London. His struggles continued into 2024, when he opened the year 5-for-8 on field goals and missed three kicks in a single game for the first time in his career during a Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. On May 5, 2025, the Baltimore Ravens released Tucker after 13 seasons with the team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tucker built his reputation on late-game accuracy, strong-leg range, and mental toughness. He thrived in cold weather, in domes, and in high-pressure situations, and his bond with long snapper Morgan Cox and holder Sam Koch gave Baltimore one of the most reliable specialist units in the league.
Notable Events and Milestones
Tucker’s most memorable moments include the 47-yard double-overtime kick at Denver in January 2013, the record-tying six-field-goal performance in Detroit later that season, and the record-breaking 66-yard field goal at Detroit in 2021. He also became the first kicker to make field goals from five different yardage ranges in a single game and is the Ravens’ all-time leading scorer.
Justin Tucker Career Highlights
NFL and Postseason Highlights
Tucker won Super Bowl XLVII with the Baltimore Ravens following the 2012 season and has been selected to seven Pro Bowls. He has earned First-team All-Pro honors five times and Second-team All-Pro honors three times, and he was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010s All-Decade Team. Among his league records, Tucker set the mark for the longest field goal in NFL history at 66 yards and tied the single-season record for 10 field goals of more than 50 yards.
Other Performances and Awards
Beyond the NFL, Tucker was a classically trained bass-baritone who sang “Ave Maria” for a Catholic Charities benefit concert with the Concert Artists of Baltimore and won the Most Valuable Performer talent show hosted by the NFL, earning a $50,000 donation for the Baltimore School for the Arts. He was also a multiple-time AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Player of the Month.
Justin Tucker Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Tucker is a devout Catholic and is known for making the sign of the cross before every kick. He married Amanda Bass in March 2015, and the couple has a son. Tucker has also been active in the Baltimore community, lending his opera-trained voice to charity concerts and local advertising campaigns.
Hobbies and Off-Field Pursuits
Away from football, Tucker continued to study voice at the University of Texas, where he trained in seven languages. He was contracted by Royal Farms in 2015 to sing in a series of commercials, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Opera Orchestra of New York have both previously asked him to perform.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been the most turbulent of Tucker’s career. After being released by the Baltimore Ravens on May 5, 2025, following 13 seasons with the team, the NFL announced on June 26, 2025, that he would be suspended for the first 10 weeks of the season following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior during massage sessions. Tucker did not appeal the decision.
Following the conclusion of his suspension, Tucker auditioned for the New Orleans Saints but lost out to Cade York, and he later worked out for the Indianapolis Colts, who signed Blake Grupe instead. As of the end of the 2025 window, Tucker’s immediate playing future remained uncertain.
Despite the off-field turmoil, Tucker’s legacy as one of the most accurate and clutch kickers in league history remained intact. His 89.1 percent career field goal rate, his NFL record 66-yard field goal, and his status as the Ravens’ all-time leading scorer continued to define a Hall of Fame-caliber career.