• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Justin Tucker is a kicker for the Baltimore Ravens. (Tom McCarthy Jr./CR Staff)

Ravens rookie Justin Tucker talks football and faith

October 11, 2012
By Catholic Review Staff
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Local News, News, Sports, Video

By Jennifer Williams

Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker is a practicing Catholic. (Tom McCarthy Jr./CR Staff)

Texas native Justin Tucker grew up rooting for the Dallas Cowboys. But as America’s Team visits Charm City for game six of the NFL season Oct. 14, the Ravens rookie with the signature strong leg will be all about purple and black.

“It going to be fun,” said the 22-year-old University of Texas graduate. “I look forward to the opportunity and to the challenge. Obviously now my allegiances have changed and I am a 100 percent Ravens fan.”

Since he joined the Ravens this season, Tucker, who is Catholic, has earned points for both his kicks and his personality. Teammates have described the six-foot-tall, 180-pound kicker as fun-loving, goofy, “good weird,” a live wire and silly.

“He’s outgoing – that is a fact,” said one Ravens PR official.

“I would describe him a good kicker first of all,” said coach John Harbaugh during an Oct. 10 press conference at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills. “That’s probably the number one criteria. That’s why he fits in the locker room because the guys appreciate his talent.”

Tucker’s talent extends beyond the field as he unabashedly proclaims himself in the top five of his teammates in the game of cornhole, which is played regularly in the locker room.

YouTube video

“When I go back home to Texas, no one can beat me,” he said as he stood on the Ravens practice field dressed in a grey Ravens sweatshirt and black shorts, leggings and Nike shoes. “I’m definitely top five. You know, I’m a contender.”

But when it comes to tips for a novice player, Tucker believes punter Sam Koch would be the best person to ask. “I think he would say ‘You gotta stay smooth; you gotta stay balanced. You don’t wanna do too much. It’s not all in the wrist. It’s not all in the step. It’s gotta be just right.’”

Tucker, who majored in recording technology in college, keeps his Ravens team members musically entertained as well.

“I mean the guy sings Italian opera in front of our players,” Harbaugh said. “So if you’re an Italian opera person that’s probably pretty normal. A lot of our guys they see it a little different in the football culture. But we love him. He’s ours.”

Tucker says his teammates are a good group of guys.

“Everybody seems to have a smile on their face at any point in the day,” he said. “I think that’s why we’re good on the field too. We have fun playing football.”

He said he’s more excited than nervous on the field.

“Not a lot of people get to do what we do so I’m taking everything in stride and really appreciating it,” he said.

Underneath his good humor, Tucker also has a strong faith life. Raised Catholic, Tucker can be seen blessing himself before every kick, a practice he began in his high school playing days.

“More than anything, it’s just to give glory and say thanks for the opportunity,” Tucker explained. “Not many people get to do what I do … and in college even fewer. And now only 32 guys get to do what I do. I’m just ever thankful for the opportunity whenever it presents itself. I really just ask more than anything that God’s will be done, and I’m happy with it.”

Tucker said he’s of the school of thought that people should be able to believe what they want.

“I like the Golden Rule just as much as anyone else,” he said. “You know just be cool with everybody and hopefully they’ll be cool back.”

The brown-haired, blue-eyed kicker, who has put 11 out of 12 kicks through the uprights this season, said he thinks it’s one of the coolest things the Ravens do to offer both a Catholic Mass and a chapel service at the hotel each week before the games. Father Christopher Whatley, pastor of St. Mark in Catonsville, celebrates Mass for the home games.

Tucker, who looks at spirituality and religion as a conscious choice and an effort as opposed to an obligation, also recounted a particularly poignant moment when he was just 11.

“I was in fifth grade and my best friend at the time passed away in a plane crash,” he said. “That was my first experience really with the death of someone I was close to. A verse in the Bible mentions child-like faith and I really experienced it. I try to carry that same feeling with me every new day. In a sense, I’m thankful for my experiences through that. It’s really kind of an opportunity to grow in faith.”

Tucker is also a family guy and is looking forward to his parents, his girlfriend and her parents visiting for this weekend’s Dallas game (“Happy Birthday, Amanda!” he says) and to two sisters attending the Texans game the week after.

“I’m a big believer because of my experience growing up, that the family that prays together stays together,” he said. “And we like to have fun too.”

Tucker’s mom, Michelle Tucker, said that as an ardent Catholic, it warms her heart to no end that her son is able to celebrate Mass before each game.

“What a gift that is and what a gift this entire Ravens NFL program is that they offer that to their players,” she said.  

When it comes to the faith the Ravens front office and coaches had in him at the start of the season, Tucker said he’s happy.

“All I can do is keep trying to prove them right,” he said. “I think that’s the attitude everyone has. You know, bring your lunch pail to work, keep your hard hat on, keep your nose down to your work, and as long as you do that, I think it’ll be alright.”

More local news

Top-performing students honored as Distinctive Scholars

Black Hawk helicopter pilot has passion for service and the skies

Catholic school teacher rescues father and son in Inner Harbor

Radio Interview: Archdiocese of Baltimore embraces lower age for confirmation

Radio Interview: Books and Authors: ‘Fulton Sheen’ and ‘Pain to Peace’

Radio Interview: The Death Penalty

Copyright © 2012 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Catholic Review Staff

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Chicago native Cardinal Prevost elected pope, takes name Leo XIV

  • Who was Pope Leo XIII, the father of social doctrine?

  • Full text of first public homily of Pope Leo XIV

  • Advocates of abuse victims are rooting for a Filipino pope — and it’s not Cardinal Tagle

  • Archbishop Lori surprised, heartened by selection of American pope

| Latest Local News |

Bankruptcy court judge gives victim-survivors temporary window to file civil suits

Radio Interview: Meet the Mount St. Mary’s graduate who served as a lector at papal funeral

At St. Mary’s School in Hagerstown, vision takes shape to save a school

Catholic school students ‘elect’ pope in their own ‘conclave’

Baltimore-area Catholics pray for new pope, express excitement for his leadership

| Latest World News |

Angelicum rector: Pope’s election ‘greatest mercy God has ever shown on Catholic Church in America’

Planned Parenthood annual report shows abortions, public funding up after Dobbs

Pope pledges strengthened dialogue with Jews

‘He’s always been a brother to us’: Villanova Augustinian prior reflects on future Pope Leo XIV

Who is St. Augustine, the father of Pope Leo XIV’s order?

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • El deseo del obispo Bruce Lewandowski, “Cuiden bien a los jóvenes.”
  • Angelicum rector: Pope’s election ‘greatest mercy God has ever shown on Catholic Church in America’
  • Planned Parenthood annual report shows abortions, public funding up after Dobbs
  • Pope pledges strengthened dialogue with Jews
  • ‘He’s always been a brother to us’: Villanova Augustinian prior reflects on future Pope Leo XIV
  • Who is St. Augustine, the father of Pope Leo XIV’s order?
  • Report: Catholic Church’s economic benefit to Minnesota is more than $5 billion annually
  • Catholic Charities tasked with Afrikaner refugees as Trump administration keeps others in limbo
  • Trump signs executive order demanding drug manufacturers lower U.S. prices

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED