PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Baltimore Ravens president Sashi Brown said Sunday that the team won't make a determination on kicker Justin Tucker's future with the team until the NFL has finished its investigation on the allegations of sexual misconduct.
"From our standpoint, I think we want to make sure that we have a great understanding of the facts, an actual understanding of the facts, hear both sides of the situation, and that we allow the investigation to properly be conducted and concluded, and make decisions based on the full information," Brown told Baltimore-area reporters at the annual league meeting.
Tucker has been accused of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists from eight Baltimore spas and wellness centers, according to the Baltimore Banner. All of the incidents reportedly occurred during sessions from 2012 to 2016, which were Tucker's first five seasons in the NFL.
Last month, investigators for the NFL began speaking with some of the women who have accused Tucker of sexual misconduct, a source told ESPN. In 2021, it took five months for the league and the players' union to finalize a settlement in Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's sexual assault case.
On Tuesday, Brown indicated that the team has received "periodic updates" from the league.
"We would love for this to happen a lot faster than it does," Brown said. "So, from our standpoint, we need to allow the investigation conclude. The NFL understands the urgency that surrounds these types of situations and allegations, and so we need to allow them time. I don't think they're going to take as long as possible, but we certainly know that they're working prudently and to try to get to what is a number of people who need to provide evidence before they come back to us. And they have been making progress, we know that."
Tucker has twice publicly disputed the allegations, issuing a statement on social media in January in which he called the accusations "unequivocally false." He has been accused by the women of sexually inappropriate behavior that included exposing his genitals, brushing some of the women with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table.
Until the investigation is concluded, Brown said Tucker will be allowed to participate in the Ravens' offseason conditioning program, which begins April 21, as well as the team's offseason practices in May and June.
"That's all that's governed by the CBA and the personal conduct policy of the NFL," Brown said.
While Tucker's status with the Ravens remains in limbo, general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh both acknowledged at the NFL combine in February that Baltimore is looking at kickers in the draft.
Tucker, 35, is the most accurate kicker in NFL history who is coming off the worst season of his 13-year career. He missed 10 total kicks last season.
If the Ravens would part ways with Tucker, they likely would need to designate him as a post-June 1 cut to split the $7.5 million in dead money over two seasons and gain $4.2 million in cap space this year. But no decision appears imminent with Tucker.
"One of the great things about the fact that the NFL is taking this on is that it gives more independence to the team," Brown said. "And so, we try to respect and stay at an arm's length as they conduct their investigation."
