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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterSep 1, 2024, 05:32 PM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Before last season’s AFC Championship Game, Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker watched Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes toss his kicking tee aside and tight end Travis Kelce fling his helmet off the field.
On Sunday, Tucker chose not to revisit that pregame incident heading into Thursday night’s rematch with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
“All I’ll say about it is I’m excited to go into a great environment, play against a great football team, with great players, great coaches, and do everything I can to prepare myself to be ready to contribute to the Ravens winning a football game,” Tucker said after Sunday’s practice. “And that’s all I got to say about it.”
Thursday will mark the first time the teams will meet since the Chiefs’ 17-10 win in the AFC Championship Game, where Mahomes and Kelce took exception to Tucker stretching close to where Mahomes warmed up 90 minutes before the game. Multiple videos showed Mahomes twice tossing Tucker’s kicking tee aside and then Kelce kicking some of Tucker’s footballs off to the side and flinging Tucker’s helmet off the M&T Bank Stadium field.
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Asked whether he would prepare the same way on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium, Tucker replied, “My focus will be on preparing myself to go into the football game and contribute to a Ravens win. That’s all I care about.”
Tucker, the NFL’s most accurate kicker, previously explained that this is how kickers around the league have always gotten ready for games. Kickers will make several attempts at both goal posts to get a feel for the wind and the playing surface.
A day after the AFC Championship Game, Tucker said he thought the dustup with Mahomes and Kelce was “all some gamesmanship, all in good fun.” He added, “But it seemed to be taken a little more seriously. I’m totally willing to let it all go.”
Kelce then said Tucker violated an “unwritten rule” by placing equipment where Mahomes was getting loose, adding the All-Pro kicker was “poking the bear.”
