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The NFL is suspending former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, according to ESPN.
Tucker is currently in the middle of an off-the-field controversy after 16 massage therapists from eight different Baltimore spa and wellness centers accused him of inappropriate behavior during alleged incidents that took place between 2012 and 2016. Tucker denied all the allegations in multiple statements, calling them “unequivocally false.”
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FILE – Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker walks back to the locker room after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
Tucker’s representative, Rob Roche, released a statement addressing the NFL’s recent decision to suspend Tucker in a statement to ESPN.
“We are disappointed with the NFL’s decision. Justin has always strived to carry himself in a way that would make his family and community proud. He stands by his previous statements,” the statement read.
“In order to put this difficult episode behind him and get back on the field as soon as possible, we have advised Justin to accept this resolution and close this matter. The people who know Justin best know his character and understand that while he remains fully committed to excellence as a football player, he is deeply dedicated to his most important lifetime roles as a father, husband, and friend.”
NFL INVESTIGATING JUSTIN TUCKER’S SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS, INTERVIEWING ACCUSERS: REPORTS
Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker misses a field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Ravens released Tucker in early May, calling his release a “football decision.”
The 35-year-old, who is a five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, had his worst year in the NFL in 2024 after owning a 73.3% field goal percentage. He still, however, owns the all-time career field goal percentage at 89.1% with that mark.
The Baltimore Banner first reported the allegations in January, with the accusers claiming that Tucker exposed himself repeatedly during a span of four years, including his rookie campaign when the Ravens won the Super Bowl. According to the report, the accusers said they ended sessions early or refused to work with Tucker again because of the allegations. The report also stated that Tucker was banned from returning to two of those spas, a claim Tucker’s legal team denied.
Among the allegations leveled in the report, five women claimed the NFL player was erect during sessions with him and that he fully or partially exposed himself, while others made other accusations of egregious acts.
Then on Feb. 16, the same outlet reported that seven more women had come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Tucker. The second wave of allegations accused Tucker of “acting inappropriately” at some of the best luxury spas in Baltimore, including the spas at the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton Residences in the city.
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Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker (9) celebrates a 54-yard field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. (Barry Reeger-Imagn Images)
“Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork,” Tucker’s response statement said.
“I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business.”
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh addressed the situation during a press conference in late May after the team’s second OTA practice of the offseason.
“I mean, you’re talking about arguably the best kicker in the history of the game. And like we said, it’s multilayered [and] it’s complicated,” Harbaugh said. “But in the end, it all comes back to what you have to do to get ready for your team to play the first game. And I think if you step back and you take a look at all the issues and all the ramifications, you can understand that we’ve got to get our football team ready, and we’ve got to have a kicker to go. And that was the move that we decided to make.
“So, in that sense, it’s a football decision, and now we have to spend all of our focus and our time to get these kickers ready. We’ve got a competition going on and [we’ve got to] get these guys ready to make kicks. So that’s all I’m thinking about. From my perspective, it’s like, ‘We have to have a kicker out there making kicks,’ and what’s the best way to get that done?”
Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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