By admin 
Every Baltimore Ravens fan remembers the moment. Tyler Loop lined up from 44 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 with an AFC North title and playoff berth hanging in the balance. He stepped up and sent it wide right. It never had a chance.
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Baltimore’s season ended in disappointment, and Loop suddenly became the face of the Ravens’ collapse. He took full responsibility afterward. Speaking about the moment, Loop said: “For it to end like that sucks, and I want to do better… Unfortunately, the nature of the [kicker] job is you have makes, and those are awesome, and unfortunately, you have misses, and for that to happen tonight sucks.”
This is part of the reality of being a kicker. Make the big kick, and you are hailed as a hero; miss it, and you are ridiculed by millions. The ending to Loop’s rookie year was a train wreck, but it should not erase everything he did before it.
Signs Of Encouragement
Loop went 30-for-34 on field goals, but his biggest weakness was distance. He made just one of four attempts from beyond 50 yards, the second-worst rate in the NFL last season, according to ESPN. After an offseason spent living with the Pittsburgh miss, Loop returned in the preseason and continued to struggle, going 5-for-8 while missing 51- and 58-yard attempts against the Washington Commanders in the finale.
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This is not the most encouraging sign. Loop knows exactly what is expected of him, saying after the preseason finale that he understands the job is to make kicks. That simplicity is part of what makes the position so unforgiving. Quarterbacks and running backs can sometimes point to protection, scheme, or supporting talent when things go wrong. Kickers have far fewer places to hide. After enough misses, teams start to look for a replacement.
To magnify the pressure, the Ravens signed Jake Moody to their practice squad. There is some irony in Moody being the one pushing Loop, considering he has a high-profile miss of his own, but the sophomore has responded well. Head coach Jesse Minter said Loop has not missed a kick since Moody arrived and that the job will be evaluated on a weekly basis.
Loop will probably replay that miss for a very long time, but it does not have to define who he is. Now he has to beat out Jake Moody and prove Baltimore can trust him when the next important kick arrives.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 5:36 AM.