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 spokesperson mentioned.
The Baltimore Banner detailed the accusations towards Tucker in a prolonged report on Thursday.
The paper mentioned it spoke to 6 therapeutic massage therapists who recounted firsthand experiences with Tucker from 2012 to 2016. A number of therapists mentioned they ended Tucker’s periods early or refused to work on him once more, and managers from two spas mentioned they banned him from returning.
In an announcement, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy mentioned: “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 severely and can look into the matter.”
Tucker posted a statement on social media calling the allegations about him in 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 not recognizable, and it presents imprecise insinuations as reality,” he mentioned.
Tucker, 35, simply completed his thirteenth season within the NFL, all with the Ravens.
In 2022, Tucker agreed to a four-year contract extension via the 2027 season. That deal included $17.5m assured.
“We are aware of the Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker as well as his response,” a Ravens spokesperson mentioned.
“We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.”
In line with the Banner, a consultant of the spa chain Ojas mentioned Tucker was “immediately terminated as a client” in 2014 after “a massage therapist reported an incident that allegedly occurred during a massage therapy session with Justin Tucker”.
House owners of Studio 921, which is now closed, mentioned via an lawyer they “took immediate and decisive action to ban this individual from our business and services to ensure a safe environment for all”.
In his response, Tucker mentioned: “I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session, and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business.”
