Kicking game-winning field goals?
That doesn't make Justin Tucker sweat as much as he did singing "Ave Maria" Thursday night.
Backed by the Concert Artists of Baltimore, Tucker sang at the Christmas concert for Catholic Charities in Baltimore at the packed Baltimore Basilica. And he got a standing ovation afterwards.
In short, he absolutely nailed it.
"I would say it's way more nerve-wracking to sing in front of a group of people because, quite frankly, that's not really my element," Tucker said.
"Kicking a ball in front of tens of thousands of people in a stadium with a bunch more people watching on TV, that's my comfort zone. That's what I do and what I know so well."
Tucker knew "Ava Maria" by heart, so he didn't need much practice. He only did two rehearsals the night before the performance.
What made him so nervous was singing in front of so many professional musicians. He didn't want to screw it up for them.
"It was such a surreal experience to perform in front of a group like that and in that space as well," Tucker said.
"That was a really, really fun experience. The whole concert was truly a blessing to be a part of in such a small way for me. All the musicians were so talented, it was a great turnout, and it was all for a great cause, so that makes it that much better."
Tucker was classically trained to sing opera as a music major at the University of Texas. He's got many musical talents besides singing, from DJing to even playing the trumpet. He said he's a better trumpet player than opera singer.
But Tucker gets more practice signing (and rapping) because he often does it on his commute to work. It's his outlet. He made his first big impression on his teammates when he sang a classic opera as his rookie performance during training camp in 2012.
"I think everyone was pretty surprised," Tucker said, referring to that rookie show. "They didn't expect it. Then they were like, 'Oh, he's serious.'"
Tucker pointed out that there are many players in the Ravens locker room with interests beyond playing football. He said being able to share that passion with fans is important to him.
"I suppose it's not typical of a professional athlete or an NFL player to be musically inclined," Tucker said. "Shoot, I don't even really know if I am. But reviews have been positive, which has been good. It is cool to hear the reactions."
