Aug 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) warms up prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Ravens Rookie Kicker Poised for Big Season

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 1:00 PM ET

For a kicker, Tyler Loop was thrust into possibly the most difficult situation a rookie could imagine.

The Baltimore Ravens selcted Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, marking the first time in franchise history that they've drafted a kicker. This also came at a time when there were a ton of questions surrounding Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history who faced a wave of sexual misconduct allegations. Sure enough, the Ravens released Tucker just over a week after the draft.

Loop had to beat out another rookie in undrafted free agent John Hoyland to win the job, but the Ravens released the latter earlier this month and all but ended the competition. Even with the job secure, though, Loop had himself a preseason to remember, making nine of 11 field goals including a 61-yarder in the final game against the Washington Commanders.

After Loop's strong preseason, NFL.com's Bucky Brooks believes he is one of the non-first-round rookies poised to make a big impact in the regular season.

"Loop was tasked with replacing Justin Tucker, a seven-time Pro Bowler who was released after violating the NFL's personal conduct policy -- and the rookie appears to be well on his way to becoming a household name as a long-distance scorer with unlimited range," Brooks wrote. "During the preseason, the rookie nailed 81.8 percent of his field-goal attempts, converting a 61-yarder against the Commanders. With a perfect mark on his eight PATs, Loop enters the regular season as a model of consistency, which is exactly what the Ravens and John Harbaugh -- who cut his teeth as a special teams coach -- expect in a kicker."

The Ravens actually suffered from bad kicking last year, as Tucker finished with a career-worst 73.3 field goal percentage (22 of 30) while also missing two extra points. It got to the point where he was actively costing the team games, as he missed two field goals in an 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 and missed two field goals and an extra point in a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.

Expecting Loop to kick like Tucker in his prime is wholly unrealistic, but as long as he doesn't cost the team games, the Ravens should be in good hands.

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

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