The Kansas City Chiefs' decision to sign kicker Justin Tucker raised a lot of questions. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had to be ready to answer them.
Reid spoke to reporters hours after reports broke that the Chiefs were signing the disgraced former Ravens kicker to their practice squad. Baltimore released Tucker after the NFL opened an investigation accusations from 16 massage therapists of inappropriate sexual behavior
last year, and he went unsigned in 2025.One reporter asked Reid what message it sent to the – notably large – female subsection of the Chiefs' fanbase that the team was willing to sign Tucker.
"He's done his suspension. Took care of that business there. I'll leave it at that," Reid said.
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In June 2025, the league suspended Tucker 10 games to begin the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The placekicker denied the allegations but did not appeal the NFL's decision. He served his suspension last year without an active contract.
Reid faced four more questions from reporters regarding the Tucker signing. After the initial query about the message it sent, the next question was whether the Chiefs' ownership had any say in the decision to bring the veteran kicker into the fold.
"Listen, we try to do our homework the best way we possibly can and talk to a lot of people to make sure things are OK," Reid said.
Another reporter asked Reid why they believed Tucker could be successful in his return to football after a year away. In 2024, his last active season, the veteran converted a career-low field goal rate of 73.3% – 22 made field goals on 30 attempts. His 96.8% extra-point conversion rate was the second-lowest mark of his career.
Reid explained that the team had brought in three different kickers – one of whom was reportedly former Rams kicker Harrison Mevis – but Tucker performed the best of the three of them. Netflix and The Ringer insider Tom Pelissero reported that Tucker went 30-for-30 on field goal attempts in his workout.
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The Chiefs' head coach also said that Tucker is not expected to take on too big a role immediately after signing. Incumbent kicker Harrison Butker will still take the majority of reps and remain the Chiefs' kicker in Week 8, Reid said. That's despite Butker's struggles over the last two years: 15 field goal misses, including two last week against the Seahawks.
"We love (Harrison). We've told you that before. He's one of my favorite guys. Sometimes things don't go quite the way you want 'em and you work on that," Reid said. "He understands the business and how it works. A practice squad position opened, so for security we brought [Tucker] in that spot we had open. Butker gets it and he knows that's part of this business. He's struggling a little bit and he gets that he needs to pick it up here a bit."
The Chiefs have recent history in giving players a second chance following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Punter Matt Araiza was a sixth-round pick by the Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft, but that August, a lawsuit accusing him and two former San Diego State teammates of rape in 2021 went public. Buffalo released him one day later, before his rookie season began.
Araiza was dismissed from the lawsuit in December 2023 as part of a settlement with the accuser. Kansas City signed him in February 2024.
The Chiefs' next game is on the road against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Nov. 1. Kansas City was the victor in the first matchup between the two teams on "Monday Night Football" in Week 1.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andy Reid dismisses concerns about female fans after Justin Tucker signing
