This article contains graphic descriptions people may find disturbing.
The Baltimore Ravens and Justin Tucker have issued statements responding to accusations of “inappropriate sexual behaviour” by the All-Pro kicker brought by six massage therapists.
Allegations relate to incidents said by the accusers to have taken place within the local area from 2012 to 2016, Tucker’s first four years in the NFL. The accusations became public in an article by The Baltimore Banner’s Julie Scharper, Brenna Smith and Justin Fenton, published on Thursday, January 30.
Tucker responded with a lengthy post on his ‘X’ account. His statement began with “The allegations in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false.”
He continued, “In accusing me of misconduct, the article takes innocuous, or ambiguous, interactions and skews them so out of proportion they are no longer recognizable, and it presents vague insinuations as fact. This is desperate tabloid fodder.”
The 35-year-old concluded his post by stating that “As a matter of principle, I respect when individuals come forward to report misconduct of any kind. I support a process that allows for 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.”
Tucker’s response was soon followed by a message from the Ravens (h/t ESPN’s Jamison Hensley): “We are aware of the Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker as well as his response. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.”
The NFL also put out a response to the article in the Banner.
Article Began With January Tip
A tip received on January 9 prompt an investigation by the Banner. The paper “spoke to six massage therapists who recounted troubling firsthand experienced with Tucker from 2012 to 2016. The women said they had long wanted to tell their stories.”
Tucker is said to have behaved inappropriately at four different spas and wellness centers. He’s accused of “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments.”
The player’s attorneys, Thomas A. Clare and Steven J. Harrison, stated “Mr. Tucker has never behaved inappropriately during any massage therapy session, and certainly never in the manner described. Any suggestion to the contrary is a fictitious and utterly baseless claim.”
While “none of the women who spoke to the Banner said they took their allegations to law enforcement. Legal experts said there were some criminal statutes that might have applied if the allegations were proven true – indecent exposure, and possibly battery, for any instance in which his genitals intentionally touched a therapist – but that the statute of limitations has expired and, in any event, such cases are rarely prosecuted. One expert said any civil court case — such as a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress — against Tucker could face a very high bar for success.”
League spokesperson Brian McCarthy revealed, “We first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL. We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Tucker has just completed arguably his worst season in the pros.
Justin Tucker Tallied Most Inaccurate Season for Ravens
He’s long been automatic since entering the league an undrafted free agent in 2012, but Tucker converted just 22 of 30 field goals this season. He also missed a pair of extra points.
His inaccuracy cost the Ravens in more than one game. Like when he missed two field goals during a two-point defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11.
Tucker appeared to blame the field conditions at Acrisure Stadium, but he couldn’t make the same excuse after missing another pair of field goals and an extra point to condemn the Ravens to a 24-19 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.
The seven-time Pro Bowler received the support of prominent figures like Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who refused to blame Tucker for the loss. Even six-time Super Bowl-winning former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick offered Tucker advice on how to fix his game.
Things improved after the Ravens briefly took kickoff duties away from the veteran before a Christmas Day win over the Houston Texans. Tucker finished the campaign in the form befitting a five-time first-team All-Pro, by not missing a single kick after the disappointments against the Eagles, including in two playoff games.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Justin Tucker, Ravens Respond to Accusations Against All-Pro Kicker appeared first on Heavy Sports.