Former Baltimore Ravens and Texas Longhorns kicker Justin Tucker accepted a 10-game suspension rather than attempt to defend himself in a hearing.
And that seemingly might've been the best course of action for him.
The NFL concluded its investigation of the sexual misconduct accusations from 16 women by Tucker between 2012-16, and the evidence might've been overwhelming.
We'll never know.
What we do know is that it warranted a 10-game suspension that Tucker didn't even blink over.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reported that attorneys Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson praised the NFL's investigation as a whole, saying it was "incredibly thorough and thoughtful" in their press conference on Friday.
The NFL reportedly interviewed 15 of the 16 accusers.
“There was an opening here for an early discussion between Mr. Tucker and the victims and the NFL,” Belsky said. “There was a way that this could have happened and gone down in a way that was different than how it did. Unfortunately, Mr. Tucker dug in with his denials, and we are where we are today.”
NBC Sports reported that "The NFL’s 'decision' wasn’t to suspend Tucker 10 games. It was to propose (presumably) a longer suspension if the process played out and to offer Tucker a 10-game suspension. It was Tucker’s 'decision' to accept the 10-game suspension."
It was by recommendation by Tucker's attorney, Rob Roche, that he accepted the punishment.
“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,” Roche said. “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.”