Chris Boswell is one of the best players on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2024, those who watch AFC North football closely know he's been the best kicker in the division, if not the league, for the past two years.
But after the Baltimore Ravens decided to part ways with longtime kicker Justin Tucker, that has been confirmed....
Ravens release of Justin Tucker cements Chris Boswell in AFC North, NFL
Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances.
Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker. Justin created many significant and unforgettable moments in Ravens history. His reliability, focus, drive, resilience and extraordinary talent made him one of the league's best kickers for over a decade. We are grateful for Justin's many contributions while playing for the Ravens. We sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.-Ravens GM Eric DeCosta
The last two seasons saw a steep decline in production from Tucker. In 2023 and 2024, his average field goal made percentage was 79.9%, down from a career average and all-time NFL record-holding percentage of 89.1.
Boswell by contrast, has been at his best, averaging 93.35% in that same time period (all stats provided via Pro Football Reference). His award of first team All-Pro in 2024 should have cemented him as the best kicker in the league, but the historical run that Tucker produced had him in a league of his own for a very long time.
But now that title belongs to Chris Boswell, officially. It's currently unknown if there will be a market for Justin Tucker. There are some non-football related things that surround him right now, added on to the fact that he's coming off a bad year by his standards and is set to turn 36 in November.
Either way, it's Boswell's title now on a national stage, even if it has actually been that way for years.
