NFL
Justin Tucker as the Best Kicker in NFL History
Over the years, the NFL has witnessed many great kickers, but the debate about whether Justin Tucker is still the best modern-day kicker prevails.
Justin Tucker//Getty Images
For years, Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, where he has been since 2012, has stood out as a benchmark for kicking in the NFL. He has recorded ground-shaking kicks over time, leading him to seven Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro. Tucker stands out for his range, accuracy, and the outright ability to make clutch kicks in dire moments.
Tucker has maintained an enviable track record, with an epitome of 90% successful kicks in his goal attempts. This has been the highest field goal record in NFL history, up until 2023. Following several game-winning goals, Justin Tucker is undoubtedly one of the best kickers in NFL history.
To earn the title of the best kicker has taken Tucker several years. His debut in the NFL was in 2012 and his first Pro Bowl was in 2013. His struggle with consistency played out in 2014 and 2015 but by the 2016 season, he re-established his momentum and marked the start of a legendary run.
In what would be considered his re-awakening season in 2016, Tucker made 38 out of 39 field goals and scored 27 extra points. Consequently, he earned a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro selection. Since then, Tucker has the league’s consensus best kicker, making him a Hall of Fame-caliber.
Is Justin Tucker Losing Grip?
Up until the 2023 season, Tucker has been enlisted amongst the most valuable NFL kickers in NFL history. However, emerging scepticism has suggested that Tucker’s kicking prowess is beginning to fade. The uprising of a new generation, with marvelling kicking ability, has begun to push Tucker to secondary tiers of performance.
Harrison Butker//Getty Images
One of fastest upcoming kicker, who is already cementing his position among the rivalling best kickers, is Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs. For the past five years, the Chiefs have won three Super Bowls, and Butker has played a pivotal role in the wins.
Since 2020, Butker has missed only one field goal in the playoffs. In the 2023/24 season, he made 33 out of 35 successful goals with a 94% accuracy. Tucker’s field goals, on the other hand, were 32 out of 37 giving him an 86% accuracy.
He has scored a cumulative 137 points for his team, part of which comes from making 5 out of 5 field goals beyond the 50-yard goals. In the 2023 season, Butker did not miss an extra point while Tucker missed one.
Despite showing fierce kicking expertise, Butker has never made a Pro Bowl and has not yet been named as a first-time or second-time All-Pro. That is majorly because of Tucker’s reputation, which cannot be easily tucked away or dismissed.
Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys is another fast-rising contender of the best kicker position. In the recently concluded preseason, Aubrey made a 66-yard field goal. The 2023/24 season was his first in the NFL and he was a First-Team All-Pro. His major strengths in the game are power and accuracy.
Who Indeed is the Best Kicker in the NFL?
Arguably, it is still soon to declare a new best kicker although there seems to be a gradual change of the guard. For instance, 2023 wasn’t favourable for Tucker but it is still an uphill task to knock him off the top spot. His long-term career record cannot be erased on account of a single-season performance. For eight consecutive years, Tucker made 85% of seasons magical with his kicks.
Therefore, Tucker’s dominance may be threatened, but he continues to carry the mantle of the best kicker in the NFL. The 86% rate he made in 2023 may have veered off from his usual exemplary performance but it is not a sufficient factor to dethrone him from the best kicker seat. Thus, Justin Tucker still has a firm grip on the title of NFL's best placekicker, until further notice. All the same, form is temporary, class is permanent.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.