A bombshell story came out on Thursday regarding Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. According to the Baltimore Banner, six massage therapists in the Baltimore area have accused the NFL veteran of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faced similar allegations from more than two dozen women in a controversy that led to an 11-game suspension in the 2022 season.
Former NBA guard Ron Harper, a five-time league champion, wants the Tucker story to receive the “same energy” that the Watson story did.
I want the same energy that this story has when Watson story was released @NFL
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 30, 2025
If Harper is calling on the NFL specifically to approach the Tucker situation in the same way it handled the Watson matter, he will have to keep tabs on where things go from here. The NFL said via a spokesperson on Thursday that it will look into the allegations against Tucker.
“We first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL,” a league spokesperson said in a statement. “We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter.”
An arbiter initially decided to give Watson a six-game suspension in 2022. The NFL then appealed that decision, wanting the quarterback to receive a harsher punishment. The NFL and NFLPA later agreed to a settlement which saw Watson receive an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine.
The Watson and Tucker allegations appear to be similar, but it’s unlikely that the matters are exactly the same, so the league will have to do its due diligence before coming to a conclusion on how to proceed.
Watson has been a shell of his previous self in recent seasons, often being unavailable for the Browns and producing at an underwhelming level even when active.
Tucker, meanwhile, showed some signs of regression this season with the Ravens but still has a resume that puts him among the top kickers in NFL history. He just completed his 13th NFL season, all of which have come with Baltimore.
The NFL is gearing up for the Super Bowl next month, which is likely to steal headlines in the coming days and weeks, but the allegations against Tucker certainly can’t be swept under the rug, and it will be worth monitoring how the league handles the matter from here.
