Former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker learned his fate Thursday after being accused of having inappropriate contact with massage therapists.
The NFL suspended Tucker for 10 games, stating he violated the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. Tucker will still have a chance to play this season, as the suspension will begin on the league’s cutdown day, Aug. 26. He could be reinstated Nov. 11, but the decision will have to come from the commissioner.
After the suspension was announced, Tucker’s agent, Rob Roche, released a statement saying he and the rest of Tucker’s camp disagreed with the league’s decision.
“We are disappointed with the NFL’s decision,” Roche said. “Justin has always strived to carry himself in a way that would make his family and community proud. He stands by his previous statements. 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.”
Tucker became the subject of an investigation conducted by The Baltimore Banner that dealt with allegations Tucker had improper sexual behavior with what started out with the allegations of six massage therapists but has grown to 16.
The Ravens released Tucker on May 5, with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta calling the decision “difficult.”
“Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker,” DeCosta said in a statement. “Justin created many significant and unforgettable moments in Ravens history. His reliability, focus, drive, resilience and extraordinary talent made him one of the league’s best kickers for over a decade. We are grateful for Justin’s many contributions while playing for the Ravens. We sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.”
Tucker is one of the most prolific kickers in NFL history, making 89.1% of his field goals (417 of 468) while being named to five All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls. Tucker struggled in 2024, making 22 of his 30 field goals, the worst performance he had in 13 seasons, leading to the Ravens selecting kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of this year’s draft.
As a free agent, Tucker can still attend tryouts, sign with a team and take part in training camp practices and preseason games, but teams may decide to wait closer to when he is reinstated before deciding whether to sign him.
Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.