Has Justin Tucker kicked his last kick for the Ravens?
A year ago, that would have seemed a preposterous notion. Yet it seems a distinct possibility after the Baltimore Banner published a story Jan. 30 that alleged Tucker had sexually inappropriate behavior with multiple Baltimore-area massage therapists and had been banned from at least two high-end spas.
Tucker, who has not been charged with any crime, forcefully denied the allegations.
The allegations came from six women most of whom did not previously know of one another, according to the Banner, and described incidents that allegedly took place between 2012 and 2016.
In a statement via X, formerly Twitter, Tucker said that the Banner’s story was “unequivocally false” and “desperate tabloid fodder.”
“I maintain I did not act inappropriately before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session,” Tucker’s statement continued. “I would never intend to offend or hurt anyone, ever. As a matter of principle, I respect when individuals come forward to report misconduct of any kind. I support a process that allows claims to be properly investigated. But, for the sake of myself and my family, I cannot allow false claims to go unchallenged. I cannot be any clearer. These allegations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me, and more importantly, my family.”
Still, Tucker and the Ravens — and the NFL, which appeared to be caught off guard — are left to deal with the fallout of the allegations as they pivot toward the 2025 season. The team has had no comment on the allegations other than to say it is aware of them and that it “takes any allegations of this nature seriously.”
An NFL spokesman said that the league will “look into the matter” and said the league was unaware of any allegations before being contacted by the Banner.
The blockbuster accusations against Tucker — leveled by massage therapists identified only by initials for fear of retribution, according to the Banner — cast into question the professional future of a kicker who is viewed as a sure-fire Hall of Famer but who is coming off the most challenging season of his career.
Tucker, 35, made 22 of 30 field goals this season for a career-low success rate of 73.3 percent. He endured a midseason slump that was the worst of his career, with five missed field-goal attempts and two missed extra-point kicks over a six-game span. Tucker attributed the slump to correctable mechanics, and he rebounded to go 5-for-5 on field goals and 23-for-23 on extra points over the final six games, including playoffs.
Tucker, who joined the Ravens as an undrafted rookie out of Texas in 2012, remains the most accurate kicker in NFL history with a career field-goal success rate of 89.1 percent (417-468). He also holds the NFL record for longest field goal, a 66-yarder at Detroit in 2021.
His midseason slump had led to questions for the first time about the long-term future with the organization of the Ravens’ longest-tenured player and only remaining player from their second Super Bowl team.
At his season-ending news conference, general manager Eric DeCosta said, “I think Justin’s going to go down as, in my opinion, if not the best kicker of all time, one of the best, and I think he finished the season strong. We’ll have those discussions, but … I have every expectation that Justin’s going to be a great kicker for us next year and moving forward.”
The team and the NFL are sure to conduct their own investigations, and both can determine the next course of action. The Ravens have long espoused a “zero-tolerance policy” on domestic violence stemming from the Ray Rice incident in 2014. It’s unclear how the Ravens would view the allegations against Tucker relative to any such policy.
The league could suspend Tucker for a violation of its personal-conduct policy, which prohibits behavior that “undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL.” Regardless of whether any criminal charges are filed, a player can be found to be in violation of the policy if “credible evidence” exists to support a violation.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was initially suspended for six games in 2022 for a violation of the league’s personal-conduct policy after being accused by more than 20 women of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massages. A subsequent report in Watson’s case noted that the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement had no definition for sexual assault, but the report defined it as “unwanted sexual contact with another person.”
That six-game suspension had been handed down by an independent arbiter jointly approved by the league and the players’ union. The league, which had sought a yearlong suspension for Watson, appealed the ruling and the league and Watson ultimately settled on an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine.
The NFL investigation could take months, and any suspension would cost Tucker at least part of the 2025 season.
The team has often brought in a second kicker during training camp, if for no other reason than to make sure Tucker isn’t overworked, but that so-called “camp leg” has occasionally used his summer learning under Tucker and kicking coordinator Randy Brown to launch his own career. One such kicker is Denver’s Wil Lutz, who was with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie during training camp in 2016.
Even if the league and team conclude Tucker committed no violations, he and the team could face backlash in the court of public opinion when they next take the field.
It’s a stunning turn for a player who has been one of the faces of the franchise for the past decade. Tucker has been a spokesman for Royal Farms in ubiquitous ads on local television, and the former music major and trained opera singer has performed at the Baltimore Basilica as part of a Catholic Charities holiday fundraiser. He also has been an active supporter of the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Tucker is signed through the 2027 season after agreeing to a four-year extension in 2022. His salary cap hit of $7 million will be the highest in the league among kickers in 2025 according to Spotrac.com, which tracks player contracts. The Ravens would gain no cap savings if he were released.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox