Tyler Loop is legit. The Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker proved that in training camp, and he carried that success into the preseason. He was officially named the team’s starting kicker, and in their Week 3 win over the Washington Commanders, Loop ended his preseason showcase on a high note.
The former Arizona Wildcat reached his first major career milestone against the Commanders. After starting the day 2-for-2 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points, Loop booted one more through the uprights for good measure, drilling one from 61 yards out with plenty of room to spare.
Over the course of the preseason, Loop was perfect on extra points and hit nine of his 11 field goal attempts. 61 yards was his longest make of the preseason, and it was his first attempt from 60-plus yards in the NFL. These past few weeks tell Ravens fans all they need to know about Loop; he is more than ready to replace Baltimore’s all-time points leader, Justin Tucker.
Tyler Loop's preseason milestone silences any doubters left
Loop did not have many doubters left, but those who were still questioning the 24-year-old’s ability are quiet now. The Ravens have gravely missed consistency from their kicker over the past few seasons, especially on attempts from long distance. Tucker was 7-for-16 from 50-plus yards between 2023 and 2024. Through three preseason games, Loop has missed just one from such distance.
Following the exhilarating outing, Loop emphasized the importance of his confidence and how it has translated into making big kicks like the ones seen on Saturday.
“Come November, December, here in Baltimore, it’s a hard place to play,” Loop said. “When it gets down into the teens in temperature and you got wind, you have to be able to trust your process, you have to be able to trust the ball that you can hit. That’s what we’ve built, and I feel really confident about it. From snap to hold to kick, I feel really good about it.”
As a rookie, the first attempt from 60-plus yards out can be tough. The pressure can be sky high, but Loop seemed unfazed. It looked like it could have sneaked in from an extra five or so yards away.
“It keeps building the confidence like we're talking about,” he said. “The snap’s gonna be there, the hold’s gonna be there. If we hit our three objectives…good plant, good foot position, good swing, and kick went in.”
Regular season and, of course, postseason action are two completely different animals, but Loop easily passing the first few tests in preseason play should give the Baltimore coaching staff and fans a ton of confidence as the team gets set for Week 1 of the regular season against the Buffalo Bills.