The Dolphins were clearly desperate for some kicking consistency, bringing in five different guys for tryouts after cutting Riley Patterson. Patterson missed an extra point in Week 5, plus two field goals earlier in the season, and Miami wasn’t having it. In the end, they signed Zane Gonzalez, but the biggest headline from those tryouts has to be who else showed up: former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker.
Tucker’s Long Road Back to the Field
It’s been a long and complicated journey for Justin Tucker since he last played in the league in 2024. He served a 10-game suspension after violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy due to sexual misconduct allegations. Multiple women accused him of misconduct during massage-therapy sessions. Tucker has denied all the allegations, and it’s important to note he was never charged criminally or sued civilly. Still, he hasn’t signed with anyone since 2024. He’s been trying to get back in, though, working out for the Saints, Colts, and Jets over the past two seasons, and now the Dolphins. This guy was a five-time first-team All-Pro for a reason, making a crazy 89.1 percent of his career field-goal tries. But, and this is a big “but,” in his last season, that number dropped to a career-low 73.3 percent, and he even missed two extra points. That’s a huge dip for a guy known for his absolute clutch kicking.
Miami Moves On, Tucker Still Waiting
So, the Dolphins brought in a crew of kickers to audition. Besides Tucker, they also had Michael Badgley, Will Ferrin, and Joshua Karty try out. Ultimately, Miami went with Zane Gonzalez to fill the void after Patterson’s struggles. It looks like they needed to stabilize their special teams fast, especially with Patterson’s Week 5 missed extra point signaling things weren’t getting better. For Tucker, this just means another tryout without a signing. He’s still out there, trying to prove he can get back to his All-Pro form and overcome the off-field issues that have kept him off an NFL roster. Meanwhile, Miami is hoping Zane Gonzalez can be the answer they need as they push through the rest of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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