Contributing Writers: Elizabeth Ellick and Alexandra Taylor
The NFL has suspended Justin Tucker, one of the world’s most talented football kickers, without pay for the first ten weeks of the 2025 football season after sixteen women accused Tucker of “improper behavior during massage sessions” from eight separate spas in Baltimore. The accusations against Tucker include exposing his genitals, brushing the women with his exposed genitals, and leaving remnants of his ejaculations on the massage tables. The suspension went into effect on August 26th, meaning Tucker will be eligible for reinstatement on November 11th.
This suspension comes after the Baltimore Ravens released Tucker and described it as a “football decision.” The Ravens released Tucker not because of the allegations against him, but because Tucker just had his worst season as a professional kicker–he recorded career lows in both field goals and field goal percentage. The team goes so far as to thank Tucker in their statement, stating they are “grateful for Justin’s many contributions while playing for the Ravens” and that they “sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.” Even more alarming, Tucker’s agent Robe Roche expressed disappointment in the NFL’s decision, stating “Justin has always strived to carry himself in a way that would make his family and community proud.”
Following the investigation, some survivors spoke out expressing their disappointment, calling the suspension “the bare minimum.” As one of the women eloquently summarized, “He got 10 weeks, and we have to deal with this the rest of our lives.” In addition to the trauma these women will carry with them, they have also faced attacks on their credibility at the hands of Tucker and his legal team, with some reporting needing to leave their line of work.
This particular story is alarmingly familiar and similar to that of Deshaun Watson, a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Watson served an eleven game suspension in 2022 after more than twenty-four women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. They accused him of “coercing them to touch him in a sexual manner, exposing himself” and “moving his body in ways that forced them to touch his penis.” Despite the volume and seriousness of the allegations, the NFL reinstated Watson after he paid a five million dollar fine, underwent mandatory evaluations by behavioral experts, and followed their suggested treatment program.
Unlike Watson, the current situation with Tucker has largely managed to fly under the radar, failing to draw equal levels of public attention or outrage. His position as an older player coming off the worst season of his career allowed Tucker, the Ravens, and the NFL as a whole to downplay the subject of his release and suspension. The Raven’s General Manager, Eric DeCosta stated that releasing Tucker was a “tough decision,” praising him for his “extraordinary talent” without ever mentioning the then ongoing investigation into the allegations against the kicker. Being older and at the end of his career should not be an excuse for Tucker to avoid accountability and for the Ravens to avoid acknowledging the accusations against him. This is bigger than just another NFL player being suspended. Beyond just the black letter law, Tucker’s behavior illustrates his belief that women are disposable objects for sexual pleasure, and the NFL’s lack of accountability is a stamp of approval on his behavior.
It is essential to understand the relevant sexual harassment and assault, rape, and commercial sexual exploitation laws, the stereotypes and myths surrounding women in the massage business, and the reality of both Watson and Tucker’s actions. Media sources that argue that these victims chose to have sex with Watson or Tucker are misleading and incorrect. There is a harmful and unfortunately common fallacy that massage therapists are part of the sex trade. The myth that all massage therapists give “happy endings” is not only categorically false, but it also puts women who are trying to do their jobs at risk of sexual harassment and assault.
The CSE Institute commends those who have come forward to share their stories. As with the Deshaun Watson case, the Institute reiterates the importance of understanding the harm that these stereotypes can inflict on women in the massage business. No person should be allowed to leverage their position and power as an NFL player to take advantage of and harm others, and accusations of such behavior should be publicly acknowledged, investigated, and appropriately penalized to the fullest extent.
The CSE Institute will continue to provide updates as they become available.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.