Death, taxes, and Justin Tucker in the final minute of regulation and overtime. That's how much of a guarantee Tucker has been for the Baltimore Ravens with the game on the line.
Without question, Tucker has been the best kicker in the NFL since he entered the league 11 years ago. The most accurate kicker in NFL history, Tucker has been selected to an All-Pro Team in each of the last six years and has earned First Team All-Pro honors five times -- the most for a kicker in NFL history. Tucker is one of just four kickers to be selected to the Pro Bowl five times, trailing Morten Andersen by two for the all-time record. Keep in mind Tucker is just 32 years old and is in the prime of what surely will be a Hall of Fame career.
Tucker is the first kicker to be featured in "By The Numbers," as his game-winning 43-yard field goal in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns extended one of several impressive NFL records he has shattered over the past several years. Let's take a look at how Tucker rewrote the position since entering the league in 2012 and the NFL records he owns.
Best Career FG Percentage -- NFL history
- Justin Tucker -- 91.3% (331-367)
- Harrison Butker -- 90.2% (147-163)
- Daniel Carlson -- 88.6% (124-140)
- Younghoe Koo -- 88.5% (100-113)
- Chris Boswell -- 87.2% (191-219)
*Minimum 100 attempts
Best Career FG Percentage (40+ yards) -- NFL history
- Justin Tucker -- 84.2% (154-183)
- Chris Bosell -- 79.8% (83-104)
- Graham Gano -- 77.5% (131-169)
- Jason Myers -- 77.0% (77-100)
- Robbie Gould -- 75.8% (163-215)
*Minimum 100 attempts
Most 50-plus yard FG -- NFL history
- Matt Prater -- 66
- Sebastian Janikowski -- 58
- Justin Tucker -- 52
- Jason Hanson -- 52
- Adam Vinatieri -- 45
Best Career FG Percentage (50+ yards) -- NFL history
- Justin Tucker -- 74.3% (52-70)
- Matt Prater -- 74.2% (66-89)
- Phil Dawson -- 70.0% (42-60)
- Robbie Gould -- 70.0% (35-50)
- Josh Brown -- 67.3% (37-55)
*Minimum 50 attempts
This is just a glimpse of how good Tucker has been since he entered the league. Here are some other marks Tucker has set in his storied career:
- Tucker has a 95.4% field goal conversion rate in the second half/overtime (165 of 173) -- the best in NFL history.
- Since PATs were moved back to the 15-yard line in 2015, Tucker (287 of 292) has produced the NFL's best PAT percentage (98.3%, minimum 100 attempts).
- Tucker is the only kicker in NFL history with multiple 60-plus go-ahead or game-winning field goals in the final minute of a game. Both came against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field (2023 for 61 yards and 2021 for 66 yards).
- Tucker is the first kicker in NFL history to score at least 130 points in six consecutive seasons (2016-2021)
- He has seven seasons with 30-plus field goals made -- the most in NFL history.
- Tucker has 25-plus field goals made in each of his first 10 NFL seasons -- the longest streak in NFL history.
- Has never had a season scoring less than 128 points. Tucker's 10 seasons with 125-plus points are the most in NFL history and only trails Stephen Gostkowski (11) for the most all-time.
How does Tucker rank amongst kickers after his first 10 seasons? He tops all the major categories.
Most points in NFL history -- first 10 seasons
- Justin Tucker -- 1,360
- Stephen Gostkowski -- 1,330
- Mason Crosby -- 1,267
- Jason Elam -- 1,193
- Adam Vinatieri -- 1,158
Most field goals made in NFL history -- first 10 seasons
- Justin Tucker -- 326
- Stephen Gostkowski -- 276
- Greg Zuerlein -- 264
- Adam Vinatieri -- 263
- Mason Crosby -- 262
Best FG percentage in NFL history -- first 10 seasons
- Justin Tucker -- 91.1%
- Stephen Gostkowski -- 87.3%
- Stephen Hauschka -- 87.3%
- Shayne Graham -- 86.0%
- Dan Bailey -- 85.9%
*Had to play 10 seasons
Not only has Tucker has the greatest start for a kicker in NFL history, he has established himself as the most clutch kicker the league has ever seen. Tucker has converted 61 straight fourth quarter or overtime field goal attempts and 75 consecutive second half-overtime field goal attempts without a miss -- the longest such streaks in NFL history.
Tucker is 26 of 27 (96.3%) on field goal attempts in the final two minutes of regulation, 17 of 17 on tries in the final minute of regulation, and 5 of 5 in overtime. He has seven career game-winning field goals with no time remaining in regulation -- the most in NFL history. Four of those kicks occurred while hsi team was trailing -- also the most in NFL history.
Last but not least, Tucker has the longest field goal in NFL history (66 yards).
Tucker is the most clutch kicker in NFL history and could retire today as arguably the best kicker ever. He still has to climb up the all-time record books to further establish his legacy, but Tucker is set to become just the fourth kicker to enter the Hall of Fame (assuming Adam Vinatieri gets in) whenever he decides to retire.
