Five-time All-Pro Justin Tucker, 36 years old, worked out for the New York Jets on Wednesday, according to a source close to the situation, bringing his controversial 10-game NFL suspension and a career-worst 2024 season right back into the spotlight. This isn’t just a veteran kicker looking for a job, it’s a huge gamble for any team considering him, especially given the questions swirling around his past. Michael Badgley and Joshua Karty were also at the facility, as the Jets are clearly desperate to sort out their kicking situation.
The Ghost of Seasons Past
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Tucker’s return to an NFL field comes with some heavy baggage. He hasn’t kicked since the 2024 season after the Ravens released him in May 2025. Why? Reports emerged months earlier that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists, leading to a 10-game NFL suspension. Tucker has maintained his innocence, claiming he didn’t act inappropriately during professional treatment, but the league still dropped the hammer. Before all that, he was undeniably one of the greatest ever: a five-time All-Pro, holding the previous record for the longest kick at 66 yards in 2021, and boasting a third-all-time success rate of 89.1% on field goals among kickers with 100+ attempts. But that pristine record got a huge ding in 2024 when he missed eight field goals, dropping his conversion rate to a career-low 73.3%. He’s tried out for New Orleans and Indianapolis twice since his suspension ended, including both teams this summer. This isn’t a fresh start; it’s a tangled web.
Jets’ Kicking Carousel Is Spinning Wild
The Jets are clearly in panic mode at kicker as the regular season looms. They claimed Blake Grupe off waivers from Indianapolis on Monday, and he’s likely their first option for the season opener. But before that, Jason Sanders had actually won the job over Cade York. Then, in the preseason finale against the Giants, Sanders went wide left on an extra point and short on a 54-yard field goal attempt. Poof, he was released, only to be re-signed to the practice squad later. It’s a mess! Grupe, who lost his Colts’ competition to Spencer Shrader, now steps in, but the Jets are doing “due diligence” on other kickers for a reason. Badgley, 31, had stints with both Indianapolis and Buffalo last season and even has a Jets connection with passing game coordinator Seth Ryan. Karty, 24, was a sixth-round pick for the Rams in 2024, had a promising rookie year, then struggled hard in 2025, missing five of 15 attempts before getting benched. He was picked up by Arizona’s practice squad but didn’t play a game.
This kicking situation is wild for New York. They kick off their season opener at Tennessee on September 13th, and right now, their most reliable option seems to be “maybe a guy with a controversial past who hasn’t kicked in a year.” Talk about high stakes for their early season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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