Ravens star Justin Tucker reveals undergoing body transformation amid new NFL kickoff rules
Justin Tucker is considered one of the greatest kickers in NFL history, capable of scoring field goals from at least 60 yards away. Despite the apparent lightness of his job, he still has to be in peak physical form to accomplish such feats.
However, the NFL is looking to encourage more explosive returns. In March, the league approved a rule change that puts the kicking team at the receiving team's 40-yard line while the kickers kick from their own 35-yard line.
In light of the rule change, the Baltimore Ravens mainstay has decided to add a few more pounds to his slender (by football standards) frame. He told ESPN's Jamison Hensley after offseason practice on Thursday:
"This might be really surprising to a lot of you guys and a lot of my teammates because I don't hang out in the weight room too frequently... I have put on, like, 3.8 pounds. Can you guys tell? Probably not. But yeah, I'll leave it at that."
Justin Tucker weighs in on practicing kickoff tackling again
Here is an interesting piece of Justin Tucker trivia: in 195 games, he has had only eight tackles. The last one was on Dec. 17, 2022, at the Cleveland Browns.
But with the new NFL kickoff rules empowering returners once more, the multiple-time Pro Bowl kicker believes now is the time to bring back his tackling skills. Tucker told Hensley:
"I don't think [tackling is] necessarily something that is encouraged, but it's not discouraged either. We're all football players out there, and ultimately if a returner is beelining toward the end zone and I'm the last guy there to stop him, it is part of my job description.
"It'll probably be really bad TV, but we'll have fun doing it."
In preparation for the 40-yard change, the Ravens have instructed Tucker to study plays from the XFL, which is where the new rule originated. Speaking of whether the process would embolden him to perform tackles, he said:
"Hell yeah, I want to be out there. At the same time, in fairness to the idea that a safety or a linebacker or somebody that has a little bit more training as a coverage athlete, I think it's totally fair to turn over every stone and see what you got.
"Who knows? There might be a guy that can pinpoint drop the ball off the tee on the 5-yard line and then just go down there and smoke the ball carrier. I'd like to think I would be that guy."
The Ravens will have a new returner for 2024 in Deonte Harty. He replaces Devin Duvernay, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.