The Baltimore Ravens will have a kicking competition during training camp this year. Head coach John Harbaugh says the outcome will be decided for football reasons.
Long-time Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been accused of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists. He has publicly denied the allegations, and the NFL is currently investigating the matter.
With Tucker's status up in the air, the Ravens drafted Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft. An eight-time All-Pro, Tucker is widely considered one of the greatest kickers in NFL history.
Harbaugh addressed the team’s upcoming kicking competition.
"Every decision we make has to be based on football," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot of layers to that. You've got a rookie kicker, and here you took him in the sixth round, early in the sixth round. He's a talented guy. Just from a football standpoint—salary cap, all the different things that you just take into consideration—whatever we decide to do over the next few weeks will be based on football."
Ravens officials have said they won't make a determination on Tucker's status until the NFL has finished its investigation.
Baltimore's offseason training begins on May 27, which will be the official start of the team's kicking competition.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as John Harbaugh Says Ravens Kicking Competition Will Be 'Based on Football'.
