Justin Tucker wants to hold the record for the longest made field goal in NFL history. Can he do it?
It’s going to be hard for Justin Tucker to improve off of his 2016 season. The Ravens kicker went 38/39 from field goal range and did not miss a single extra point.
There is one thing Tucker can improve on, his career long field goal. He wants to break Matt Praters record for the longest field goal made in NFL history. It currently stands at 64 yards and happened back in 2013 when Prater played for the Denver Broncos.
"Definitely notch in belt I'd like to have attached to my name one day" - #Ravens @jtuck9 on record for longest FG held by M. Prater (64yds)
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) July 11, 2017
Right now Tucker’s career long is 61 yards. This came on a Monday Night game in Detroit back in 2013. The kick inched in the right side of the field goal post and it’s one of the more incredible kicks you will ever see.
Not only does could we see this record be broken, but could we see Tucker attempt a field goal from 75 yards? He said this about the possibility:
Related Story: Baltimore Ravens Should Let Justin Tucker Kick From 70+ Yards
"And I know a lot of people will probably be scratching their heads, [because] I think it’s drilled into every football fan’s mind that a longer kick requires lower trajectory. We make these analogies to golf, how it’s like you’re driving a ball off a tee box when you’re trying to kick a ball from farther away, but the difference in the trajectory, I think, is manageable if you’re hitting a good ball"
It really is crazy to think about. Making a field goal from 3/4’s length of the field sounds impossible.
What’s even crazier? We’ve already seen Tucker do this from the kicking tee. He hit a 75-yard field goal during Pro Bowl practice earlier this year. There wasn’t a holder or any rush, but it was still impressive to say the least.
If you watch the video it looks like Tucker does it with ease.
Watch as #Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (@Jtuck9) hits an astonishing 75-yard field goal during Pro Bowl practice in Orlando last week. #NFL pic.twitter.com/PB2SO33inQ
— Mark Feigenbaum (@feigenbaumlaw) February 2, 2017
Give Him A Shot
I talked about this a while back and I’m all for letting Tucker try from 70+ yards. It’s clear he’s got the boot for it I’m sure the Ravens will find themselves in a long-distance situation before the half in a game this season. Instead of taking a knee or throwing up a Hail Mary, they could try for a long field goal. With Tucker it might be the most logical thing to do.
If Tucker is going to attempt a historically long field this season, it will most likely need to happen indoors or in an area with high elevation. Looking at the Ravens schedule, the Vikings game week 7 stands out. It will be the only dome game the Ravens play during the regular season. This definitely looks like the best possibility, but it only makes sense if the offense is in the right situation.
Tucker was one of the main offensive weapons last season because of an inconsistent offense. He’s proven his accuracy all over the field and eventually the time is going to come. He’s an incredible talent and the Ravens need to take advantage of his leg. Whether it’s this season or not, we will see Tucker at least kick a 65+ yard field goal before his career is over.
Here’s to hoping that it will go in.