If Justin Tucker plays this year, it will be late in the season. The league announced today that he’s being suspended for 10 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The suspension comes after 16 massage therapists from eight different spas accused Tucker of sexual misconduct. All of the alleged incidents occurred between 2012 and 2016.
Tucker denies all claims, which were originally published in The Baltimore Banner.
Tucker, 35, in the not-too-distant past was looking like the best kicker in the history of the sport. He made over 91 percent of his field goals in his first 10 seasons, including a league-record 66-yard kick in 2021.
But Tucker has slipped in recent years. He made only 86 percent of his field goals in the 2022-23 seasons, then dipped to a career-worst 73 percent last year.
In particular, Tucker has struggled on kicks from 50-plus, making only 7 of his last 16 attempts. Of the 25 kickers who’ve attempted at least 10 field goals from 50-plus over the last two years, Tucker ranks last in accuracy – the only guy under 50 percent.
If Tucker is going to get back on the field in December, he’ll need a team that’s not concerned with any potential negative publicity, and also a team that believes he’s got a chance to get back to performing more like he did in the past.
FIELD GOALS FROM 50-PLUS (since 2023) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Player | FG | FGA | Pct |
Nick Folk | 11 | 12 | .917 |
Brandon Aubrey | 24 | 27 | .889 |
Cairo Santos | 15 | 17 | .882 |
Chris Boswell | 19 | 22 | .864 |
Chase McLaughlin | 15 | 18 | .833 |
Ka'imi Fairbairn | 18 | 22 | .818 |
Jason Sanders | 17 | 21 | .810 |
Cameron Dicker | 16 | 20 | .800 |
Tyler Bass | 8 | 10 | .800 |
Matt Prater | 10 | 13 | .769 |
Dustin Hopkins | 12 | 16 | .750 |
Will Reichard | 8 | 11 | .727 |
Blake Grupe | 12 | 17 | .706 |
Harrison Butker | 7 | 10 | .700 |
Wil Lutz | 8 | 12 | .667 |
Jason Myers | 13 | 20 | .650 |
Joey Slye | 9 | 14 | .643 |
Brandon McManus | 8 | 13 | .615 |
Younghoe Koo | 9 | 15 | .600 |
Daniel Carlson | 8 | 14 | .571 |
Jake Elliott | 8 | 15 | .533 |
Evan McPherson | 10 | 19 | .526 |
Matt Gay | 11 | 22 | .500 |
Jake Moody | 6 | 12 | .500 |
Justin Tucker | 7 | 16 | .438 |
—Ian Allan