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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Kevin Oestreicher

Ravens K Justin Tucker expresses empathy for kickers who miss big kicks in playoffs

The Baltimore Ravens have been extremely lucky to have a player like kicker Justin Tucker on their roster. He’s been a beacon of consistency throughout his NFL career and is widely regarded as the best kicker in NFL history.

“My heart really just goes out to those guys. If you play long enough, you will undoubtedly have one of them that gets away from you and you would do anything in the world to get it back. The fact of the matter is that you just can’t, and [Buffalo Bills kicker] Tyler [Bass], for what it’s worth, he’s a great kicker. I know without a doubt in my mind he’s going to make a lot more big kicks than he’s ever going to miss. He and I texted back and forth. He seems to be in a good place, and that’s exactly what I would expect from a guy like him with his level of talent [and] his work ethic just knowing a little bit about him. I know it stings incredibly in the moment, but you have no other choice but to just pick up the pieces and move on. That’s part of the nature of playing this position, especially at this time of the year where the conditions are going to be tougher unless you’re playing inside. A place like Buffalo or Baltimore or Kansas City, [and] the weather didn’t look great in the Bay Area last weekend either. That’s something that you just have to deal with as a specialist. It’s something that we work on day in and day out. Whenever we have the opportunity, we get out in the elements, and we do our best to just attack each kick for what it’s worth in that moment.”

Although Tucker’s career speaks for itself, he has missed kicks in high-pressure playoff situations, like everyone else. Tucker expressed empathy for the players who missed those kicks after a weekend of big misses in the Divisional Round by other kickers.

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