The NFL will look into allegations that Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker behaved inappropriately towards therapeutic massage therapists at 4 spas and wellness facilities within the Baltimore space, a league spokesman stated.
The Baltimore Banner detailed the accusations in a prolonged report Thursday. The information web site stated it spoke to 6 therapeutic massage therapists who recounted firsthand experiences with Tucker from 2012 to 2016. Several therapists stated they ended Tucker’s periods early or refused to work on him once more, and managers from two spas stated they banned him from returning.
“We first turned conscious of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they weren’t beforehand shared with the NFL,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy stated in a press release. “We take any allegation severely and will look into the matter.”
Tucker is accused of exposing his genitals, brushing two therapists together with his uncovered penis and leaving what they believed to be semen on the therapeutic massage desk after three therapies, in accordance with the Banner.
Tucker posted a press release on social media calling the allegations about him within the Banner story “unequivocally false.”
“In accusing me of misconduct, the article takes innocuous, or ambiguous, interactions and skews them so out of proportion they’re now not recognizable, and it presents imprecise insinuations as truth,” he stated.
Tucker, 35, simply completed his thirteenth season within the NFL, all with the Ravens. He’s achieved stardom each league-wide and amongst Baltimore followers in a approach that is uncommon for a kicker, and his 66-yard subject objective in 2021 stays the longest-successful kick in league historical past.
In 2022, Tucker agreed to a four-year contract extension by way of the 2027 season. That deal included $17.5 million assured.
“We are conscious of the Baltimore Banner’s story concerning Justin Tucker in addition to his response,” a Ravens spokesman stated. “We take any allegations of this nature severely and will proceed to watch the scenario.”
According to the Banner, a consultant of the spa chain Ojas stated Tucker was “instantly terminated as a consumer” in 2014 after “a therapeutic massage therapist reported an incident that allegedly occurred throughout a therapeutic massage remedy session with Justin Tucker.” Owners of Studio 921, which is now closed, stated by way of an lawyer they “took fast and decisive motion to ban this particular person from our enterprise and providers to make sure a protected surroundings for all.”
In his response, Tucker stated: “I’ve by no means obtained any complaints from a therapeutic massage therapist, have by no means been dismissed from a therapeutic massage remedy or bodywork session, and have by no means been informed that I used to be not welcome at any spa or different workplace.”
The allegations have some similarities to unrelated accusations made in opposition to one other NFL participant, quarterback Deshaun Watson. More than two dozen girls accused Watson of sexual assault and harassment throughout therapeutic massage remedy periods whereas he performed for Houston. After being traded to the Cleveland Browns, Watson missed the primary 11 video games of the 2022 season after an unbiased arbitrator decided that he had violated the league’s private conduct coverage.
