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NFL legend Justin Tucker in bombshell sexual misconduct lawsuit

An NFL legend has been hit with allegations of sexual misconduct with six massage therapists coming forward in a horror report.

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Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is alleged to have engaged in “inappropriate behaviour,” which included exposing his penis and brushing it against two massage therapists and potentially leaving ejaculate on massage tables, according to six massage therapists around Baltimore, per the Baltimore Banner.

Tucker is claimed to have demonstrated such behaviour at four high-end spas and wellness centres from 2012-16, and management for two spas banned him from returning, per the report.

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He denied the allegations in a statement posted to X after the story’s publication Thursday afternoon, the NY Post reports.

“The allegations in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false,” Tucker tweeted.

“Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. 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. 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.”

The NFL said it will delve into the allegations, while the Ravens did not offer comment to the Baltimore Banner.

The women interviewed have not reported their allegations to the police, according to the story.

Justin Tucker has been accused of sexual misconduct. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
Justin Tucker has been accused of sexual misconduct. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP

“We first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL,” the league said in a statement. “We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter.”

Tucker, 35, allegedly asked five of the women to massage his pelvic area and inner thighs while he had an erection, while brushing it against a pair.

Three therapists told the outlet they found a “large wet spot” on the massage table that they believed was ejaculate. Many were in their early 20s at the time, per the report.

The time frame of his alleged sexual misconduct coincides with his rookie season in 2012 and one year after his 2015 marriage to Amanda Bass.

An Ojas representative told the publication the spa chain “immediately terminated (Tucker) as a client” in 2014 after being informed of an alleged incident, while a lawyer for the closed Studio 921 said one of its owners told Tucker by phone he could not return. The owner also confirmed that the studio banned Tucker.

“I’ve told people about this over the years, and they either act like it’s hot goss(ip) or a joke,” a therapist who worked with Tucker in 2016 told the publication. “But it was really degrading.”

The Ravens star has denied the allegations. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Ravens star has denied the allegations. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The kicker’s attorneys denied the “allegations of inappropriate behaviour” and labelled them as “impossible to prove” and speculative.

His attorneys also rejected that Tucker ejaculated at spas and that he has been banned from two.

They showed the publication photos after the supposed timeline that they believed countered those allegations regarding the bans.

“Mr. Tucker has never behaved inappropriately during any massage therapy session, and certainly never in the manner described,” his representatives, Thomas A. Clare and Steven J. Harrison of law firm Clare Locke, told the outlet. “Any suggestion to the contrary is a fictitious and utterly baseless claim.”

Regarding the ejaculate allegations, his lawyers told the Baltimore Banner there were “myriad explanations for why a massage table would appear damp” and could have been body oil or sweat.

“It was semen. I know what semen looks like,” one therapist told the outlet. “I have dated men.”

A few of the women allege Tucker’s actions started “slowly and subtly,” per the report, before intensifying to grazing their thighs with his fingers and attempting to expose himself.

CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 06: Justin Tucker #9 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after kicking the game-winning field goal during overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 06: Justin Tucker #9 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after kicking the game-winning field goal during overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The women told the publication they attempted to ensure Tucker did not expose himself, but his lawyers called it “unremarkable” and “not news” that he may have become exposed during a session.

“We can tell if it’s intentional or just an accident, and this was intentional,” said one therapist who alleged Tucker touched her wrist with a “semi-erect” penis.

Tucker said the article “presents vague insinuations as fact” and called out the Baltimore Banner for what he alleged were “journalistic failures at every turn.”

He accused the outlet of giving him “next to no time” to respond to the allegations and not caring about what he would say in response.

“Once I reviewed the newspaper’s allegations against me, it was apparent that the newspaper was deliberately misconstruing events as nefarious (which were not) and were relying on third party speculation to create the false, preconceived narrative about me that they believed would generate clicks,” Tucker said in his statement.

Legal experts told the publication that the statute of limitations has expired should any legal action be considered and these cases are “rarely prosecuted.”

Tucker could be punished by the NFL. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Tucker could be punished by the NFL. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

The NFL could potentially punish Tucker, though, should it find him to have violated the league’s personal conduct policy.

The league previously suspended Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after more than 20 women alleged sexual misconduct. There had been civil lawsuits against Watson, although he was not charged with a crime.

Tucker just completed his 13th season in the NFL, all with the Ravens and including their Super Bowl 2013, and is generally regarded as one of — if not the — best kickers in NFL history.

He is the most accurate kicker in NFL history with a field goal success rate of 89.1 per cent.

“I have always made a conscious effort to be considerate and respectful in all of the interactions with the community that I love so much,” Tucker said. “It is devastating for me to learn that anyone would feel I was offensive in any way. I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session. I would never intend to offend or hurt anyone, ever.

“As a matter of principle, I respect when individuals come forward to report misconduct of any kind. I support a process that allows claims to be properly investigated. But, for the sake of myself and my family, I cannot allow 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.”

This article originally appeared on the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nfl/nfl-legend-justin-tucker-in-bombshell-sexual-misconduct-lawsuit/news-story/d93b073ccd5552862b6d39313609bf7a