Ravens' Justin Tucker punts on question about AFC title game drama
Ravens play Chiefs on Thursday night to start the NFL season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Baltimore Ravens will meet the Kansas City Chiefs to kick off the 2024 NFL season.
The game is a rematch of the AFC Championship game, which saw the Chiefs top the Ravens and head to the Super Bowl to later defeat the San Francisco 49ers. Lost in that conference title matchup was Ravens kicker Justin Tucker’s controversial pregame warmup.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Justin Tucker, #9 of the Baltimore Ravens, warms up prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024 in Baltimore. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were warming up when Tucker came over to stretch in between them. Mahomes was seen kicking Tucker’s ball holder away, and Kelce threw Tucker’s kicking balls and helmet off the goal line.
When asked about the moment on Sunday, Tucker sidestepped.
"All I'll say about it is I'm excited to go into a great environment, play against a great football team, with great players, great coaches, and do everything I can to prepare myself to be ready to contribute to the Ravens winning a football game," he said, via ESPN. "And that's all I got to say about it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tucker added that he was just focused on helping the Ravens win anyway he can.
Kelce was unhappy with Tucker’s antics and expressed it as much on his podcast in the days after the game.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, left, exchanges words with Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker, #9, for warming up in the Chiefs' facility prior to the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Jan. 28, 2024. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tucker said after that game he was willing to let bygones be bygones.
"I find it kinda silly we even have to address it or talking about something that happened before the game I really don’t see as a big deal," he said. "… For those that don’t know, the way it works is each team’s kicker goes to the other team’s designated warmup area on the field. For me, it’s usually about 90 minutes before kickoff.
"I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, never really had a problem with anybody. That’s kind of the way we’ve always done it. I saw Patrick there trying to warm up and get some dropbacks. He asked me while I was on the ground stretching if I could move my helmet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker sits on the bench during the second half of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Aug. 17, 2024. (Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
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"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 just kicks my stuff and throws my helmet. I thought it was all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun, but they seemed to be taking it a little bit more seriously."
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