Ravens K Justin Tucker explains pregame fracas with Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce: 'He just kicks my stuff'
Justin Tucker was involved in a bit of a fracas with Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce ahead of Sunday's AFC championship game.
On Monday, the Baltimore Ravens kicker explained his side of the story to reporters. He did so while cleaning out his locker following Kansas City's 17-10 win that ended Baltimore's season.
Per Tucker, he was doing the pregame routine he has done throughout his 12-year career when Mahomes and Kelce walked over and chucked his equipment to the side.
Tucker: 'Never had a problem with anybody'
"I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, never had a problem with anybody," Tucker told reporters. "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.
"I happily got up and moved my helmet out of the way, at least I thought it was enough out of the way. And then Travis comes over and he just kicks my stuff, he throws my helmet. I thought it was all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun. But they seemed to be taking it a little more seriously."
The incident took place during pregame warmups before players went back to their locker rooms to dress in their game gear. Video from Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium shows Tucker warming up when Mahomes walks over and kicks his ball holder out of the way.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2024 MLB season]
The kick prompts an exchange of words before Tucker sets the holder back down in the same spot. Mahomes then immediately picks it up and tosses it aside.
Patrick Mahomes and Justin Tucker going at it pregame 😂. Mahomes keeps kicking Tuckers holder away. pic.twitter.com/KeqhYyle4t
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 28, 2024
Video from moments later shows that Tucker had then set his helmet and two balls next to the holder near the same spot on the goal line. Kelce then walks over and tosses each item to the side to clear a path for his quarterback. Tucker smirks in the background while he stretches.
Travis Kelce told Justin Tucker he needed to move because their QB Patrick Mahomes had to warm up. So Kelce kicked his ball away and threw his helmet. 😂 pic.twitter.com/pFF0DC1yA7
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 28, 2024
Per Tucker, it's routine for kickers from both teams to warm up in both end zones to get a feel for the conditions where they'll be kicking.
"For those that don't know the way it works is each team's kicker goes to the other team's designated warm-up area on the field," Tucker said, per Ravens reporter Kyle Phoenix. "And 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 just kind of the way we've always done it and the way kickers around the league have always done it."
Mahomes and Kelce haven't addressed the incident. They've moved on to preparations to face the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. Tucker, meanwhile, is ready to move on after saying his piece.
"I’m totally willing to let it all go," Tucker concluded. "I just wanted to explain that that’s what I’ve done for 12 years. It’s not like I’m out there trying to be problematic. I’m just trying to get ready for the football game just like they are."
