The Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to their practice squad after Harrison Butker went 11 of 16 on field goals, a career-low 68.8%. (Getty Images)
Acho challenged both commentators over the difference between condemning a player and continuing to support the wider league. His criticism raises a genuine question about where sports media figures should draw the line, although opposing a signing does not automatically require someone to stop covering the NFL.
Harrison Butker has struggled this season, missing five of his 16 field-goal attempts. His latest difficulties came in the Chiefs’ 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, when he missed two kicks and Kansas City managed only three points. However, he has not played in an NFL game since 2024. He also missed the entire 2025 season after receiving a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Kansas City’s decision also has a clear football explanation. Tucker, a five-time All-Pro, offers a chance to assess an experienced kicker who was once among the NFL’s most reliable. For now, Tucker is on the practice squad, while Butker remains Kansas City’s kicker on the active roster. The signing does not guarantee Tucker will play, and the Chiefs still have to decide whether his potential on the field outweighs the questions surrounding his return.
“If you want to call out Justin Tucker, which I have no issue with you doing, you’ve got to call out everybody on every team, including coaches,” Acho said. The Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to sign Justin Tucker has sparked a debate that goes beyond the veteran kicker’s ability on the field. ESPN analysts Mina Kimes and Nick Wright questioned the move, raising concerns about the risks of bringing Tucker into Kansas City. Emmanuel Acho, however, challenged their criticism, turning the discussion toward the standards used to judge the Chiefs’ decision. The disagreement highlights a difficult question for the team: how much risk should a contender accept when looking for answers at a position where one missed kick can change a game? Acho’s response focused less on Tucker’s kicking record and more on what he sees as inconsistent standards across the NFL. The former linebacker argued that critics cannot single out one player while continuing to support a league where other players have faced serious allegations or been involved in troubling incidents.