“He uses his influence to bully people, I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, never had a problem with anybody,” Ravens K Justin Tucker explains pregame fracas with Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce: ‘He just kicks my stuff’

Justin Tucker was involved in a bit of a fracas with Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce ahead of Sunday’s AFC championship game.

On Monday, the Baltimore Ravens kicker explained his side of the story to reporters. He did so while cleaning out his locker following Kansas City’s 17-10 win that ended Baltimore’s season. Per Tucker, he was just doing the same pregame routine he’s done throughout his 12-year career when Mahomes and Kelce walked over and chucked his equipment to the side.

Tucker: ‘Never had a problem with anybody’
“I’ve been doing the exact same thing for 12 years, never had a problem with anybody,” Tucker told reporters. “I saw Patrick there trying to warm up and get some dropbacks. He asked me while I was on the ground stretching if I could move my helmet.

“I happily got up and moved my helmet out of the way, at least I thought it was enough out of the way. And then Travis comes over and he just kicks my stuff, he throws my helmet. I thought it was all just some gamesmanship, all in good fun. But they seemed to be taking it a little more seriously.” The incident took place during pregame warmups before players went back to their locker rooms to dress in their game gear. Video from Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium shows Tucker warming up when Mahomes walks over and kicks his ball holder out of the way. The kick prompts an exchange of words before Tucker sets the holder back down in the same spot. Mahomes then immediately picks it up and tosses it aside.