Ravens’ Justin Tucker denies allegations, expresses empathy
Ravens’ Justin Tucker responds to allegations, shows sympathy
TUCKER/NFL: Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker observes practice drills in Owings Mills, Maryland. Kevin Richardson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service
In a recent statement denying claims of inappropriate behavior at massage parlors in the Baltimore area, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker expressed his sorrow that “anyone I have worked with would not have felt respected and valued as a professional, but more importantly as a person.”
“To those who feel differently, I am sorry,” Tucker added. “I want you to know that I am committed to making sure everyone I interact with feels respected and cared for as a person.”
Tucker’s statement was first posted on OutKick’s website on Wednesday.
“I maintain that I did not behave inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork session, nor have I ever been told I am unwelcome at any massage therapy provider,” Tucker said, echoing the statement he made last month.
The Baltimore Banner was the first to report that six massage therapists from five spas in the Baltimore area accused the 35-year-old Ravens kicker 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 sessions” between 2012 and 2016. Since then, 10 more massage therapists have come forward with similar claims, according to the Banner.
One massage therapist spoke with The Baltimore Sun, alleging that Tucker exposed himself during sessions and once touched her thigh.
Attorneys Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson, who represent some of Tucker’s accusers, issued a statement on Thursday: “The allegations in this case remain consistent and unchanged, and Mr. Tucker’s comments do not change that in any meaningful way.”
Tucker’s wife, Amanda, also made her first public statement to OutKick, saying, “The false accusations against Justin have caused so much pain for our family. I believe my husband, and I love and fully support him.”
The NFL is investigating the claims against Tucker. Earlier this week, Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta and Coach John Harbaugh addressed the issue for the first time, stating they will wait for the league’s investigation to be completed before deciding Tucker’s future with the team.
“The allegations are serious and concerning,” DeCosta said. “The volume of allegations is serious and concerning.”
In explaining Tucker’s response to the allegations, his lawyer, Joe Terry from Washington’s Williams & Connolly, pointed out that the Ravens kicker was repeatedly welcomed at several upscale massage parlors after the reported incidents. Terry also mentioned that after Tucker signed a $16.8 million contract extension and bought a house near Baltimore in 2016, he began working with massage therapists at his home.
In his latest statement, Tucker reaffirmed his respect for massage professionals, reiterating a statement he made to The Sun earlier this month.
“Physical therapy and massage therapy have been vital in keeping me healthy and available during football season,” he said. “In fact, both my wife and I continue to count many of those professionals as friends. I deeply respect the massage therapy profession and, most of all, the individuals who work as massage therapists.”
