Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s struggles this season have proved costly for the Chiefs, with his latest miss contributing to the team’s loss against AFC West divisional rivals, the Denver Broncos. This led Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to sign Justin Tucker to the Chiefs’ practice squad. Fans were not happy with this decision, since Tucker was at the center of much controversy after being accused of sexual misconduct in 2025.

But during his appearance on the Nov. 3 episode of the ‘Arrowhead Allies’ podcast, legendary NFL coach Dick Vermeil defended Reid’s decision, adding that he would have done the same thing to increase his team’s chances of winning.

“I would say, you know, this is America; we condemn, and we forgive, and we move on. Carrying grudges and carrying on, on, on; sometimes you create situations,” Vermeil stated. “I think I probably would have done the same thing. I would have probably done the same thing, thinking here was a guy that had established himself as maybe one of the finest kickers and a fine guy. All right, he makes a mistake. All right. He pays his punishment just in his own embarrassing information out on him. Okay. He paid his price. In America, we bring them back and give them a second chance.”

Vermeil believed that Tucker deserved a second chance, and suggested that the rampant media criticism that surrounded him, his league-imposed suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, and his release from the Baltimore Ravens were the price for the “mistake” he committed.

For the unversed, in Jan. 2025, 16 massage therapists in the Baltimore area accused the kicker of inappropriate behavior during massage sessions. Although Tucker denied the allegations and faced no criminal charges, the NFL suspended him without pay for the first 10 games of the season, while the Ravens released him, calling it a “football decision.”

The former Chiefs coach also suggested that Reid had taken Tucker’s veteran record and undeniable ability into account to secure all bases to sustain the Chiefs’ playoff contention. Across his 13-year career with the Ravens, Tucker played 212 games, recording 417 successful field goals out of 468 attempts, and maintained a success rate of 89.1 %, compared to Butker’s 87.1%.

“When a man like Andy Reid walks into a freaking room, you shouldn’t even have to say, ‘Be quiet.’ The minute he walks in, they ought to shut up and start listening,” Vermeil added. “What he has done for every guy in that room, what he has done for the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City, it hasn’t been equal that I know of, other than maybe in doing it with Belichick, in a different approach altogether.”

As a close friend and long-time supporter of Reid, Vermeil has long admired the Chiefs head coach and stated that he had great confidence in his ability to build a championship-winning roster. His comments on the podcast echoed the same trust once again, as he pointed to his tenure with the Chiefs. Across his 14 years with the team, Reid maintained a .70 win-loss percentage, winning 154 out of 220 games, and is also the winningest active head coach in the league.

Andy Reid’s Take on the Chiefs Signing Tucker

Reid himself also defended the decision to sign Justin Tucker with a similar comment about the kicker having served his league-imposed punishment. His comments also suggested that the Chiefs had done their own investigation before signing the kicker to their practice squad.

“We try to do our homework the best way we possibly can and talk to a lot of people and make sure things are OK,” Reid stated.

When Reid was further asked what constituted this “homework,” he was quick to dismiss the question.

“I’m not going to get into all that. But, to bring him in here, I did some homework. I’m not going to get into all that, but I mean, he’s here, and he’s on the practice squad. So we roll with it,” he added. 

Tucker signed a one-year, $411,300 practice squad contract with the Chiefs on Oct. 28. Although he is not slated to take on a starting role in the upcoming weeks, the team could see roster changes if Butker’s struggles continue.