The Baltimore Ravens currently employ the best kicker in the NFL. Depending on who you ask, some would say the Ravens have the greatest kicker of all time. Ultra reliable, deadly accurate, and immensely clutch, Justin Tucker is the Baltimore Ravens X-Factor.
Tucker went undrafted out of the University of Texas. At Texas, Tucker made 71 of 71 point after attempts, posted 190 career points, and averaged an 83.3% field goal conversion percentage. Although posting the third-best percentage in school history, Tucker was not invited to the NFL scouting combine. After the 2012 NFL draft, Tucker signed with the Ravens as a rookie free agent, changing Baltimore’s fortune for the foreseeable future.
Justin Tucker Is Quietly Ravens X-Factor
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in 2022, Justin Tucker was asked to do more than ever before. Tucker set a personal career high with 43 field goal attempts, making 37 of them. That number ranked as his second-best mark throughout his 11-year career. Although only Tucker’s second-best outing, it was the most field goals made in the NFL for the 2022 season. Continuing his greatness, Tucker also set the Raven’s single-season record of 142 points. Tucker’s fantastic season was enough to name him to the Pro Bowl, as well as earning him NFL All-Pro honors. Tucker has 19 career game-winning field goals and has even had games where he’s outscored the offense, including twice against the Cincinnati Bengals. In week five of the 2022 season, Tucker scored 13 points as the offense only registered 6 points. Later down the line in week 17, Tucker scored 10 points as the offense only managed to post 6. Performances like these make Tucker an undeniable X-Factor for the Ravens.
Time after time, Tucker kept Baltimore in games. Last season, the Ravens had obvious goal-line struggles, leading to Tucker taking the field and posting points for the team. At times, it seemed as if Tucker was the only reliable player on the roster. Mostly due to an injured Lamar Jackson, Tucker shined bright. Even when Jackson was on the field, Tucker was much needed. Injuries to running backs such as Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins lead the Ravens to rely on Tucker more than any team should rely on their kicker.
AutomaTUCK.
Watch every one of @jtuck9's game winners 🔥
📺: TNF on FOX at 8:20 p.m. pic.twitter.com/DLCbQqtfvW
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 9, 2021
Tucker Ranks As Greatest Kicker of All-Time
On August 8th, 2022, Justin Tucker signed a new four-year contract extension that would ensure he’d be a Raven until at least 2027. Not only was that great news for fans, it was even better news for his Ravens teammates. Often relied upon to change the results of games, he has delivered every time. Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history, making 363 of 401 field goal attempts, and posting a 90.5% conversion percentage. This makes Tucker the consensus GOAT kicker who also has a clutch gene that has largely separated him from his peers.
At the conclusion of Tucker’s rookie season in 2012, it was immediately evident that Baltimore had a special talent on their hands. Setting a rookie franchise record, Tucker finished with 132 points. Tucker also connected on 30 of 33 FGA’s, a 90.9% conversion percentage that set the second-best mark by a rookie kicker in NFL history. Also as a rookie, Tucker converted on all 42 of his PAT’S, establishing the Ravens single-season franchise record. Last but not least, Tucker went on to become a Superbowl champion as a rookie, winning Superbowl XLVII. En Route to the big game, Tucker posted 124 points in four playoff games.
After 11 years, Tucker has only gotten better. Tucker has delegated himself to now breaking his own records. Fittingly, Tucker has shattered every record that former Ravens kicker Matt Stover had set. Although Stover will always be remembered by Ravens faithful, Tucker will likely end up in the Raven’s ring of honor, and then the NFL Hall of Fame as the greatest kicker to ever play the game.
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Main Photo Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
