Jan 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker (9) arrives earlier than the sport towards the Cleveland Browns at M&T Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Photos The Baltimore Ravens launched longtime kicker Justin Tucker on Monday afternoon.
Tucker, whom the Ravens signed as an undrafted free agent in 2012, has been accused of inappropriate habits by 16 therapeutic massage therapists from eight totally different Baltimore spas and wellness facilities. The NFL has been investigating the matter, however Tucker has denied all the allegations, calling them “unequivocally false.”
Final week, the Ravens drafted Arizona kicker Tyler Loop with the No. 186 decide of the 2025 NFL Draft. The writing was on the wall for Tucker then.
Nonetheless, only a few days earlier than releasing Tucker, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh instructed the media that Baltimore’s kicking competitors can be “primarily based on soccer.” Nicely, we’ve got the winner of the competitors — and rookie minicamp hasn’t even began but. It’s Loop’s job now, and the legendary NFL kicker with over a dozen accusations is a free agent.
The Ravens are calling the discharge of their 35-year-old kicker a “soccer determination.” However let’s not child ourselves right here.
“Typically soccer selections are extremely tough, and that is a kind of cases,” Ravens Government Vice President and Basic Supervisor Eric DeCosta stated in a press release. “Contemplating our present roster, we’ve got made the robust determination to launch Justin Tucker.”
The Ravens performed this case completely. Tucker’s typical pinpoint accuracy as a placekicker did waver final season. On the NFL Mix, DeCosta claimed that the Ravens have a “zero tolerance coverage” for the kind of misconduct Tucker was accused of.
However how do you say goodbye to an eight-time All-Professional who nonetheless holds the file for the longest discipline objective in NFL historical past? Particularly with none felony costs? You draft his alternative within the sixth spherical and blame a soccer determination. It masterfully dodges any fallout from the NFL Gamers Affiliation, who might have been upset by a participant being launched in the course of an investigation.
Drafted kickers are removed from a assure. Lately, we’ve seen loads flame out earlier than their careers may even get began.
However there’s no kicker within the NFL who warrants the general public relations nightmare that surrounded Tucker. The Ravens simply instructed you in plain English that they might fairly roll the cube throughout their Tremendous Bowl rivalry window with an unproven kicker than make use of Tucker, who was on trajectory to change into a Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer earlier than these allegations.
The Ravens have stood by their justifiable share of gamers with shady rap sheets. However a kicker? The juice simply isn’t definitely worth the squeeze whenever you issue within the quantity of unfavorable, nationwide media protection they might get for permitting him to take part in coaching camp later this summer season.
Perhaps Tucker finds a option to clear his title. Maybe it earns him that spot in Canton, Ohio’s Corridor of Fame sometime. However the Ravens didn’t discover it value their whereas to attend it out.
