https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43628611/ravens-justin-tucker-says-massage-therapists-allegations-falsewith a name like "tucker" there has to be a joke or two there
Quote:
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by six massage therapists in the Baltimore area, according to an investigation by The Baltimore Banner.
Tucker's conduct, according to an article posted by The Banner on Thursday, caused some therapists to refuse to work with him again and resulted in two spas banning him from returning. The allegations reportedly occurred between 2012 and 2016, which were Tucker's first five seasons in the NFL.
About an hour after The Banner's article was posted, Tucker called the allegations "unequivocally false" in a lengthy response on social media.
"Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism," Tucker posted to X on Thursday. "I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork."
In his post, Tucker said the article "takes innocuous, or ambiguous, interactions and skews them so out of proportion that they are no longer recognizable. ... This is desperate tabloid fodder."
Tucker could be subject to discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy.
"We first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL," league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said. "We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter."
The Ravens issued a statement saying "we take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation."
Attorneys for Tucker denied the allegations of inappropriate behavior, telling The Banner that it's speculative and "impossible to prove." His lawyers also said Tucker has never been banned from the two spas.
The Banner said it began its investigation after receiving a tip on Jan. 9. Six massage therapists contacted by The Banner allege that Tucker exposed his genitals, brushed two of them with his exposed penis and left what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments.
"I support a process that allows claims to be properly investigated," Tucker said in his post. "But, for the sake of myself and my family, I cannot allow these false claims to go unchallenged. I cannot be any clearer. These allegations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me and, more importantly, my family."
Tucker, 35, is the most accurate kicker in NFL history, converting 89.1% of his field goal attempts. He is the longest-tenured player on the Ravens who was part of the team's Super Bowl championship team in 2012.
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