Head coach Andy Reid was asked what kind of message it sends to “female fans” after the Kansas City Chiefs signed kicker Justin Tucker, who was accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists.
“He’s done his suspension,” Reid, 68, said on Wednesday, October 28. “Took care of that business there. I’ll leave it at that for you.”
The Chiefs signed Tucker, 36, to their practice squad on Wednesday, as starting kicker Harrison Butker continues to struggle. Tucker was issued a 10-game suspension in June 2025, after the NFL conducted an investigation into the multiple misconduct claims.
“We try to do our homework the best way we possibly can,” Reid claimed. “Talked to a lot of people to make sure things are OK.”
Reid was directly asked why he and the organization felt compelled to give Tucker a “second chance.”
“I try to do homework on it and see exactly what’s taken place since,” he said. “The kid served a suspension. It’s been time. There’s been time involved with it. That’s how I evaluate it.”
When questioned specifically “what kind of homework” he had done, Reid got defensive.
“Listen, I’m not going to get into all that,” he rebutted. “But to bring him in here I did some homework, yeah. 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.”
Reid said he “did not” consult the team’s leaders about Tucker’s signing, which includes veterans Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
The head coach said Butker, 31, will likely get the start when the Chiefs play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, November 1. From there, things are up in the air.
Reid’s perceived flippantness about singing Tucker did not sit well with many on social media.
“A lot of people just won’t care about this,” journalist Alex Kirshner wrote via X. “But a lot of people will, and at some point they’ll have to reckon with Andy Reid not being the kind of dude they wish he was.”
Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano said, “It sends a terrible message, of course, but Andy Reid couldn’t care less. I mean, he really needs that second kicker. It’s the last piece to his Super Bowl puzzle. So if he has to sell his soul for that … 🤷🏻♂️.”
Journalist Erik Frenz conflated Tucker’s signing with Butker’s spot on the roster. During a commencement address in May 2024, Butker compared Pride Month to “deadly sin” and called on women to embrace the role of “homemaker.”
Frenz wrote via X, “Gotta love Andy Reid’s tireless commitment to employing problematic kickers who have different ways of expressing their hatred for women.”
