Justin Tucker Was Suspended From the NFL for Alleged Sexual Misconduct — Here's What Happened
Sixteen massage therapists reported that Tucker behaved inappropriately during sessions.
Published Jan. 5 2026, 1:27 p.m. ET
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ESPN called seven-time Pro Bowler Justin Tucker "the league's most accurate kicker." He played for the Ravens for more than a decade. Despite his success on the field, he was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2025-26 season.
Tucker was put on hold for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, and the Ravens let him go after the NFL's investigation into his conduct. He served his suspension as a "free agent" and is free to sign with another team.
Here's what Tucker was accused of.
What is the Justin Tucker controversy?
Sixteen massage therapists from eight high-end spas in the Baltimore area accused Tucker of sexual misconduct between 2012 and 2016, per ESPN. Two spas banned him from returning.
According to The Baltimore Banner, most of the massage therapists who reported the misconduct do not know each other, but reported similar experiences. They told people close to them about the events when they occurred. The Banner contacted them to corroborate their accounts.
What exactly was Justin Tucker accused of?
Many of the massage therapists involved in the investigation reported that Tucker repeatedly tried to expose his erect genitals during massage sessions by moving his hips to remove the sheet covering him.
Some of the massage therapists said that Tucker touched their thighs with his hand or his genitals. One said that Tucker tried to pull their hand toward his groin. Many of the massage therapists also reported that he left what appeared to be ejaculate on the massage table after the session.
One massage therapist said that Tucker asked her to focus on his glutes and inner thighs. During the massage, he kept moving to expose himself so that she would brush up against his exposed genitals. She told The Banner, "This is not normal behavior. I did hundreds of massages, and I never ever had someone else do that."
She also found a wet spot on the table after the session.
Tucker denied the sexual misconduct allegations, but accepted the suspension.
The kicker called the allegations "unequivocally false" and said the Banner article is "desperate tabloid fodder."
Tucker's agent 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," per ESPN.
In a now-deleted statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Tucker said, "I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session," according to Pro Football Network.
Attorneys representing some of the massage therapists said, "It would have been simple for Mr. Tucker many months ago to have apologized and acknowledged wrongdoing. Instead, Mr. Tucker insisted on falsely attacking the credibility of the victims and only further victimizing them ... This was completely unnecessary and should not be acceptable," per The Banner.
One of the victims said that she was "glad that something was done," and that it was "nice to feel finally heard," but also called Tucker's punishment the bare minimum. She had to leave her career because of him.
Another said, "I don't think it's enough … He got 10 weeks, and we have to deal with this the rest of our lives."