The Ravens released Justin Tucker not long after drafting Tyler Loop, who believes he is ready for the AFC North. Kicking in this division brings with it different challenges than most, as they play more games in unfavorable kicking conditions. Of course, other northern teams that don’t kick in domes face similar issues.
But they don’t have a kicker trying to live up to the legacy of arguably the greatest kicker in history. Granted, Tucker seemed to grope his way through recent reasons at times, lowering his career average. But he still has the highest marks in NFL history, and Loop is just getting started. The Arizona product had a slightly higher college career average than Tucker going into the league, though that was a different era.
The weather conditions, though, won’t necessarily be new to him. “Being in the Pac-12, I got to go up to Washington, Washington State, and Oregon and play up there in some cold weather and some wind and crazy conditions”, Tyler Loop told the Ravens’ website. Tucker excelled at kicking in inclement weather, even from distance. All of the AFC North teams have such a kicker, particularly the Steelers with Chris Boswell.
Interestingly, Loop posted a lower field goal percentage in each season of his college career. In 2024, he went just 18-for-23 for a 78.3-percent conversion rate. He also missed two extra points, the only two in his career. But he also made a 62-yard field goal. And in 2023, two of his misses were blocks. Most importantly, he has the demeanor to take on the necessary challenges of AFC North play.
“I think having a challenge to go conquer and a skill set to refine and really work on and become an expert of kicking in those conditions is something that gets me fired up”, Loop told the Ravens’ website. “Learning from coaches who have been up there for a long time and learned how to be successful in the AFC North kicking, that’s something that just the sound of gets me pumped up, so I’m really looking forward to it”.
The Ravens were not expecting to be scouting for a kicker, let alone drafting Tyler Loop, when they had Justin Tucker. But due to a combination of diminishing results and credible accusations of sexual misconduct, prompting an ongoing league investigation, they chose to pivot.
Odds are Loop isn’t the next Justin Tucker (in good ways or bad), but he is certainly younger. Tucker was likely nearing the end of his career, anyway, though kickers can play into their 40s. Now it’s up to the Steelers, the Browns, and the Bengals to show Loop what AFC North football looks like. It’s not quite the same as playing Washington State and Oregon.
