Super Bowl champion and Ravens legend Matt Stover remains confident in Justin Tucker’s ability to deliver at the highest level.
Stover spent 13 seasons as a kicker with the Ravens, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2000 while helping the team secure its first championship in Super Bowl XXXV. Stover understands the demands of the position and firmly believes Tucker is still the Ravens’ go-to guy.
“Knowing the type of competitor he is, he’s not done. The fact that he manages himself so well — he’s never missed a game. He’s been healthy. That’s hard to do,” Stover said on Glenn Clark Radio on Nov 19. “Look at [Harrison] Butker. Look at all these kickers. They’re going down with quad and hip [injuries], not Tucker. That’s because he knows how to manage himself with his kicking.”
Tucker, widely regarded as one of the best kickers in NFL history, has connected on a career-low 72.7 percent of field goal attempts in 2024. Most recently, the soon-to-be 35-year-old missed two field goals in a two-point loss at Pittsburgh in Week 11. Tucker’s performance has sparked questions about him for the first time ever.
This season has tested Tucker in ways few expected, with uncharacteristic struggles raising eyebrows among observers. Despite the challenges, Stover believes Tucker’s number should continue to be called in critical moments.
“He’ll get through this. I know that he’s strong. I know that emotionally he wants it. He wants the ball. He’s not going to run from it. And it’s happened to me, it really has,” Stover said. “So, I would say this: Just take the next kick, hit it easy, we don’t have to hit it hard and just want the ball. I know he’ll get through it.”
Stover understands the immense pressure and challenges of being an NFL kicker. While Tucker has hit a rough patch with kicks drifting left, Stover is confident that Tucker can identify any issues with his technique.
“You talk to a golfer and he misses left or duck hooks one or slices right, he knows exactly what technically he did. I will guarantee it he does. He knows what happened,” Stover said. “And that’s exactly what Tucker knows and he’s just got to get out there and relax, hit it easy and get through it.”
The mental and emotional challenges of kicking are real, according to Stover, who noted that it’s not as effortless as it may appear. He pointed to Tucker’s physical capabilities, emphasizing that his talent remains evident in his powerful kicks and consistent touchbacks.
Stover made sure to mention that Tucker made a 54-yard field goal in Pittsburgh after missing two field goals.
“It’s hard to kick a ball. He’s made it look easy. I made it look easy. Even [Billy] Cundiff,” Stover said. “It’s not easy. It’s hard. It’s tough to get yourself mentally and emotionally ready. I believe physically, he’s capable. You don’t hit a [54]-yarder and don’t hit touchbacks unless you have the physical ability. You just don’t. He’s doing plenty of that.”
Stover reflected on the physical toll of kicking, drawing from his experiences to highlight the resilience required to succeed at the position. He still believes Tucker has the desire, capability and readiness to deliver for the Ravens when it matters most moving forward.
“The kickoffs is really what wears you out as a kicker. You’re hitting a driver every time, and it’s a heavy object and you are blowing up on it,” Stover said. “I did that all the way until my last season in 2008. I kicked off [42 times] that year when I was 40 years old. At the end of the day, being a guy who desires the ball, physically is capable, Tucker’s got that. There’s no question.”
For more from Stover, listen to the full interview here:
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