Ravens release kicker Justin Tucker after all the all-around for massage therapist
The Ravens have released Justin Tucker, a kicker accused of sexual misconduct by 16 different employees at eight Baltimore Area Spas and Wellness Centers.
Sports Pulse
Justin Tucker doesn’t deserve the sympathy he wants.
After the NFL announced Tucker’s 10-week suspension on Thursday, his agents took him to social media to assert what a good guy the former Baltimore Ravens Kicker is. But at least 16 women will say it differently to you, and all sympathy should be reserved for them.
“I don’t think it’s enough,” one woman told the Baltimore banner. “He’s got 10 weeks and we have to deal with this for the rest of our lives.”
Tucker could be a stand-up guy to his family and friends. He is a great teammate and may be a great representative of his team. However, 16 women told the banner that Tucker was sexually inappropriate.
Tucker intentionally exposed herself during a massage booked outside the team, the woman said. In some cases, the therapist said he polished his erect penis against them. At least four therapists said they found what they thought was ejaculating on the sheet in the banner after Tucker left.
Several of the women provided support for their experience, and the two spas told Banner that they banned Tucker because of his inappropriate behavior.
Does that sound like the behavior described by an outstanding citizen Tucker agent? Or do you sound like someone who saw those women as disposable and treated them that way?
And just don’t… before you crush Tucker about not facing criminal charges. The NFL did its own investigation and thought it was fitting to give him a 10-week suspension. It’s an NFL eternity and usually has little respect for women as much as Tucker.
It’s not that difficult to not become a garbage man. Treat others how you want to be treated. Be kind. Say it, and thank you, and don’t be rude. Share. Tell me when something is wrong. Protect those who are being abused.
You know, that’s the lesson we all defeated by the time we went to kindergarten.
But some people have money, power, or special skills, so those rules don’t apply anymore, so they get it in their heads. For their situation, whether they are acquired or given, they get a pass.
They can take more than their fair share. They can ridicule people they don’t like. They can treat people as if they were less.
They can dehumanize and hit women.
The therapist who worked for Tucker in 2016 told the banner in a story released in January. “It was really deteriorating.”
Tucker is not the first athlete to act badly. He’s not even the only NFL player to abuse women. But that’s never alright and excuses Tucker because he’s an outwardly good guy or doesn’t deny them as most of the incident happened over a decade ago.
There is little comfort in that this is likely to end Tucker’s illustrious career. Tucker was cut by the Ravens in May and he could even sign another team and join training camp, but that’s unlikely.
Of course, it’s not for the suspension. Desshaun Watson was suspended two-thirds of the season due to similar misdeeds and he is still in the league. But Tucker is a 35-year-old kicker who had the worst season of his career last year, and the NFL team wants to forgive so much.
But that’s the worst. The end of his career was clouded in the shame and wounds of a declining Hall of Fame career by the time he was ready for Canton. The woman’s wounds run deep and are permanent, unlike Tucker’s suspension.
Follow USA Today sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrammour.
