“I Felt Like a Bad Husband” – NFL Veteran Recalls Tough Time When Bills Cut Him After Marriage

Ross Tucker played seven years in the NFL.

“I Felt Like a Bad Husband” – NFL Veteran Recalls Tough Time When Bills Cut Him After Marriage

Ross Tucker (Image via X)

Ross Tucker took the opportunity to share a story from his NFL days on the latest roster cut day. The former guard/center experienced a similar fate to many who go through it each year, and the challenges he faced later on.

Tucker attended Princeton, an IVY League college. After going undrafted in 2001, he signed with the Washington Redskins. His rookie year ended abruptly when he suffered a broken hand and a partially torn MCL. He played seven games the following season at right guard but was later waived.

Tucker didn’t wait too long to find a team. Washington’s divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, claimed him off waivers. The Cowboys switched him to left guard. He was released during the 2003 minicamp.

Tucker left the NFC for the AFC after the Buffalo Bills claimed him off waivers. He played 12 games in 2003, seven at left guard and five on the opposite side. The following year he appeared in all 16 games.

In 2003, he was named to the USA Today All-Joe team. After the 2004 season, Tucker underwent back surgery, which kept him from attending the training camp. As a result, he was released just before the 2005 season.

This release came at a critical time in Tucker’s life.

Trying to be a good husband, trying to get our marriage off to a good start. And here I get fired. And she had resigned her job to come be with me in Buffalo. I felt like a bad husband. I felt like I had really let her down, which made it a zillion times worse than just letting myself down.

Ross Tucker said on his podcast

Tucker married Kara Koppenhaver. Kara left her job at JP Morgan and moved to Buffalo to be at her husband’s side when he was cut by the Bills. Tucker felt he had let his wife down.

For the first time, you know, me getting released wasn’t just affecting me. It was affecting someone else.

Ross Tucker said

Tucker went nearly three months without a job until the New England Patriots gave him a shot. He played just one game and was declared inactive for the remaining three. In August 2006, the Patriots traded Tucker to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a conditional 2007 draft selection. However, he was released after the preseason.

In 2007, he returned to Washington as a free agent. In the preseason, he suffered a neck injury that bruised his spinal cord, which ended his season and his career. Tucker announced his retirement from the NFL in 2008. In his seven-year career, he appeared in 42 games and started 28.

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Ross Tucker is set to replace Tony Romo as CBS gameday analyst

After retirement, Tucker worked for The Athletic as a football columnist. He even wrote for Sports Illustrated. He has covered college football for CBS Sports and Westwood One.

"I Felt Like a Bad Husband" - NFL Veteran Recalls Tough Time When Bills Cut Him After Marriage
Ross Tucker (Image via Larry Brown Sports)

Ahead of the 2026 campaign, CBS Sports announced that Tucker will feature next to Ian Eagle in the broadcast booth, replacing JJ Watt, who was promoted to the top broadcast team after the network cut ties with Tony Romo following his DUI arrest.

Tucker also contributes as an NFL insider for Audacy. He is also the Philadelphia Eagles preseason television analyst on 94.1 WIP Radio.

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