OWINGS MILLS, MD. — Ravens kicker Justin Tucker acknowledged that the apparent dustup in the Kansas City end zone before the AFC championship might have been a bit of “gamesmanship” by the Chiefs, but he dubbed the budding controversy “silly.”
In the warmup period well before the game, Tucker had set his kicking stand up near the end zone where the Chiefs began to warm up, and the stand appeared to be in the way of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he dropped back to pass. So Mahomes kicked the stand off to the side.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce went a step further, throwing Tucker’s footballs and helmets into the end zone as Tucker stretched nearby.
The Chiefs beat the Ravens, 17-10, at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28 to advance to the Super Bowl.
Asked about the interaction as he cleared out his locker the next day, Tucker said, “I find it kind of silly that we’re even having to address or talk about something that happened before the game that I really don’t see as a big deal.”
“For those who don’t know,” Tucker continued, “the way it works is each team’s kicker goes to the other team’s designated warm-up area on the field, and for me, it’s usually about 90 minutes before kickoff. And I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years and never really had a problem with anybody. … That’s just kind of the way we’ve always done it and the way kickers around the league have always done it.”
Tucker explained that while he was stretching, Mahomes asked Tucker if he could move his helmet out of the way.
“I happily got up and I moved my helmet out of the way, at least I thought it was enough out of the way. And then Travis comes over and he just kicks my stuff and throws my helmet. … I thought it was all just some gamesmanship, you know, all in good fun, but they seemed to be taking it a little bit more seriously.”
“I’m totally willing to let it all go,” Tucker added, “but I just wanted to explain that that’s just what I have done for 12 years, and it’s not like I’m out there trying to be problematic. I’m just out there trying to get ready for the football game, just like they are. And that’s all I’ve really got to say about it.”
Tucker, who later this week is headed to his seventh Pro Bowl, said he was far more eager to talk about “elite” quarterback Lamar Jackson and the idea that the Ravens will bounce back from a stinging season-ending loss, even after what figures to be significant roster turnover this offseason.
“What I can say confidently is that our front office, our coaching staff, the core of the team that will continue to stick around … we tend to do a really good job of establishing culture early, getting guys on the same page, getting guys that are meant to be Baltimore Ravens, and then just going to work. And that’s something that I expect to see from everybody around here this offseason.”
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