Justin Tucker Explains Pregame Encounter With Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was getting set to go through his normal pregame routine, the same one has done for 12 NFL seasons, prior to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

But it became far from an ordinary warm-up for Tucker.

Tucker had a run-in with Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce about 90 minutes before kickoff. Mahomes and Kelce obviously didn’t like where Tucker had set up on the field and made their displeasure known. Mahomes flipped some kicking tees aside and Kelce followed up by tossing footballs and Tucker’s helmet.

Tucker met with the media Monday following Baltimore’s 17-10 defeat and gave his side of the story.

“I saw Patrick there, they were trying to warm-up and get some dropbacks. He asked me while I was on the ground stretching if I could move my helmet,” Tucker told reporters, per The Baltimore Sun. “So, 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 and he throws my helmet.

“I just thought it was all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun, but they seemed to be taking it a little more seriously.”

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Tucker said that kickers all around the NFL warm-up in an opponent’s territory. That didn’t seem to matter to the Chiefs duo, though.

Despite the actions of Mahomes and Kelce, Tucker didn’t retaliate in any sort of way and added he didn’t have any bad blood over the situation.

“I’m totally willing to let it all go, but I just wanted to explain that’s just what I’ve done for 12 years and it’s not like I’m out there trying to be problematic,” Tucker said. “I’m just trying to get ready for the football like just like they are.”

Tucker views Mahomes and Kelce as “two of the best players that have ever played the game at their respective positions,” and believes they don’t hold any animosity toward him, either.

“I find it kind of silly that we even have to address it or talk about something that happened before the game that I really don’t see as a big deal,” Tucker said. “I think if you see the whole interaction and then you see us at the coin toss, we’re all dapping each other up and then we just get on with the football game.”