Arizona Wildcats place kicker Tyler Loop looks up before a kick in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Alamodome. Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Tyler Loop Leading Ravens' Kicker Competition

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The 2025 season will mark the start of a new era for the Baltimore Ravens, as for the first time since 2012, they will have a new kicker suiting up for them.

Last month, the Ravens released Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations made against him, even though they continue to refer to it as a "football decision." Tucker leaves some big shoes to fill on the field, and to fill those shoes, the Ravens are turning to a pair of rookies in Tyler Loop, a sixth-round pick from Arizona, and John Hoyland, an undrafted free agent from Wyoming.

The two have been competing for the right to start for weeks now, and Loop has seemingly had the edge due to his draft pedigree. However, his performance at the team's final OTA on Wednesday - when he made just five of nine attempts, with all of those misses coming from 50+ yards out - concerned some onlookers.

Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop was 5-of-9 at OTA on Wednesday. All of Loop’s misses were from 50 yards or longer.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) June 11, 2025

Not the Ravens, though. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Loop still holds the clear edge in the competition despite that rough outing.

"Both rookie kickers had good days and bad days during OTAs, setting the stage for what will likely be the most scrutinized position battle of training camp," Zrebiec wrote. "Loop, the sixth-round pick out of Arizona, will get every opportunity to win the job. He was the guy senior special teams coach and kicking guru Randy Brown wanted after an exhaustive evaluation of the draft-eligible kickers.

"By all accounts, Loop was kicking really well before he missed 4 of 9 attempts — all from 50-plus yards — with owner Steve Bisciotti looking on at the final OTA last week. Meanwhile, Hoyland, an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming, made all six of his attempts a day earlier. Brown and the Ravens won’t overreact to one practice. Loop is still the favorite heading into training camp, but Hoyland seems intent on making this a legitimate competition."

There's always going to be growing pains with a rookie kicker, especially when replacing a Hall of Fame-caliber kicker like Tucker (though whether or not he actually makes it after this saga is to be determined). However, one bad day in OTAs won't define Loop, and who knows? Maybe he could be the next great kicker to wear purple and black.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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