Ravens assistant coach suffers injury during Justin Tucker celebration
Former Texas kicker and NFL star Justin Tucker is no stranger to big moments or big kicks. He combined both on Sunday afternoon with an NFL record-setting 66-yard kick to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 19-16 win over the Detroit Lions at the buzzer. In the aftermath, a Ravens assistant suffered an unfortunate injury caught on camera.
The Ravens, who entered the game with a 1-1 record, were playing the winless Detroit Lions on the road. For quite some time, it looked like a game in which the heavy favorite might lose. After the Lions converted on a fourth-quarter touchdown followed by a field goal, the Ravens found themselves losing, 17-16, and they called on Tucker to make history on the final drive.
Tucker had missed one of four field goal attempts entering the fourth quarter, and the 66-yard attempt was two yards longer than Matt Prater’s previous record, a 64-yard boot. In all the madness brought on by a game-winner, doubling as a record-setter, the Ravens lost a man.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker coach Drew Wilkins blew out his hamstring while celebrating, falling to the ground in a mix of joy and agony.
Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey first brought the injury to the public’s attention, posting the video on social media. Head coach John Harbaugh then confirmed the injury and the had some fun with the injured staff member.
“Drew is philosophically opposed to exercise,” Harbaugh said during a press conference. “He’s made that clear over the years, kind of emphatically. He’s a staunch believer in not exercising. You can see where that gets you.”
It is unclear whether Ravens assistant Drew Wilkins will miss time with his injury as Harbaugh joked the MRI results are still pending review.
Justin Tucker left speechless
During his postgame interview, Justin Tucker was left speechless when considering what he had just accomplished. He tried to find the words to describe the moment on the CBS broadcast.
“That one was something else,” Tucker told CBS’ A.J. Ross during his postgame interview. “I don’t really have the words to do justice to the moment.”
After thanking his teammates who set up the moment, Tucker continued: “All I can say is trust, trust God, trust this team. We’ve got something special. We’ve known that, we’ve been knowing that and I’m just so happy to be able to come through for my guys.”
With the record-setting kick, Justin Tucker did more than just break an NFL record for distance. He also solidified himself as the most clutch kicker in NFL history, as he now boasts a perfect 16-of-16 track record on field goals in the final minute of regulation.