Ravens release Justin Tucker months after massage therapists' accusations - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

[Phil Helsel | NBC News]

Months after massage therapists accused kicker Justin Tucker of misconduct, the Baltimore Ravens announced Monday they were releasing him from the team, calling it a tough decision based on the team's current roster.

Tucker, 35, who has been with the team since 2012, was accused in January of inappropriate behavior during massage therapy sessions by six women who spoke to The Baltimore Banner. The news outlet reported allegations of more women the next month.

Tucker, who is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, has denied any wrongdoing, and he has not been charged with any crime.

An NFL investigation into the allegations of misconduct continues, NBC Sports reported.

The Ravens last month drafted a kicker, Tyler Loop, in the sixth round.

Ravens Executive Vice President and General Manager Eric DeCosta made no mention of the allegations in Monday's statement about Tucker's release.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh has said any decision about Tucker's place on the team would be based on football, NFL.com reported.

“Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances," DeCosta said in Monday's statement reporting that Tucker would be released. "Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker."

DeCosta thanked Tucker for his contributions to the Ravens, and he highlighted Tucker's "reliability, focus, drive, resilience and extraordinary talent.”

Tucker, who boasts a success rate of 89.1% on field goals and is the most accurate all time among players with at least 100 attempts, did encounter some kicking struggles during the 2024 season.

He has called the allegations in the Banner “unequivocally false.”

“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,” he said in a statement in January. “This is desperate tabloid fodder.”

DeCosta thanked Tucker and said the team wishes him and his family well.

“We are grateful for Justin’s many contributions while playing for the Ravens,” DeCosta said. “We sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.”

The Ravens signed Tucker as a free agent in 2012. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and is a Super Bowl champion, having won the Super Bowl with the Ravens at the end of the 2012 season.

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