Ravens Kicking Competition Update: Loop Outlasts Hoyland
There is no debate that a quarterback, running back, or receiver is the most important position on the offense. The offensive line also makes a compelling case for its importance to the success of the offense. However, there is one position that can win or lose a game on a single routine play: the kicker. If a drive stalls anywhere between the end zone and the opponent's 40-yard line, more often than not, a team will send out its kicker. Even when the offense scores, the kicker is brought out for a 35-yard PAT. In Week Three of the 2012 NFL season, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker kicked a game-winning field goal against the Patriots to give Baltimore a one-point win. On the flip side, the Ravens had the chance to tie and send a 2018 Week Seven game against the New Orleans Saints into overtime, but that happened to be when Justin Tucker missed his first career extra point. The Ravens lost 23-24. Now, with a new era in Baltimore, the Ravens released Tucker based on “football decisions”, leading them to draft the first kicker in franchise history, fifth-rounder from Arizona, Tyler Loop.
Tyler Loop was not immediately handed the keys to the special teams throne, as the Ravens brought in 2025 UDFA John Hoyland to add a little pressure and offseason competition for the potential successor to Justin Tucker. During OTAs, Loop was wildly inconsistent, making all six field goals one day and then making five of nine attempts just a few days later. With the utmost faith from head coach John Harbaugh and special teams kicking coordinator Randy Brown, fans and members of the media may have jumped to conclusions too quickly that Loop was in over his head. The story took a significant turn as the Ravens progressed through training camp.
On day three of training camp, Loop shut down the doubters, making all 10 of his attempts, including a 63-yarder that would have been good from farther away. Loop also converted a 68-yard field goal in a non-team drill, which carries little weight outside of an official game, but the potential is there. Loop has connected on his first 16 attempts of training camp, earning praise from head coach John Harbaugh. "He had a good day. It was a good test day," Harbaugh said of Loop. "He had kicks kind of situationally all week, and then to come out here and kick it deep like that is a good day." Hoyland wasn’t letting Loop run away with the title, as just the day before, Hoyland made all nine of his kicks. Loop’s streak ended the next day as he missed from 38, 43, and 45 yards, while Hoyland connected on all three attempts of the day. While Loop and Hoyland have battled to a stalemate, the Ravens released John Hoyland on August 2nd, just one day before the stadium practice.
"It's probably more about roster than anything else," Harbaugh said. "We were planning on John [Hoyland] being there at least for one game, maybe two games, maybe all the [preseason] games, depending on how it went… If you're the drafted kicker, you certainly have the edge. We wanted to keep the pressure on both of them. But we just had roster moves right now, we just needed certain positions — at tight ends, receivers, running back." Habruagh continued to say that Loop is “kicking well enough to win the job. He had another really good day this morning. They went over to the stadium, and he made them all, so that's all good. But as we know, it's going to be the games that's going to mean the most."
Special teams coordinator Chris Horton said on Monday that consistency is the key. Loop’s leg strength is not in question, but they are more concerned about the consistency of his plant leg and where the foot meets the ball. Now, as the lone kicker on the roster, Loop will look to improve through the preseason into Week One and fill in the shoes left by Tucker. In 2024, Tucker missed eight total field goals: five from the 50+ range and two in the 40-49 range. Before the stadium practice on Sunday, Loop was 40-for-44 on field goals throughout training camp, continuing to hit all 11 kicks in the M&T Bank Stadium practice for fans. The rookie will have a chance to showcase his leg in a real matchup on Thursday, August 7th, where the Ravens host the Indianapolis Colts.
