Justin Tucker is returning to the NFL after serving a 10-game suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy. Reports indicate the former Baltimore Ravens kicker is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.
The move comes as the Chiefs have struggled at the kicker position this season, with Harrison Butker’s performance falling off from his earlier, near-automatic form.
Tucker’s suspension followed a January 2025 investigation by The Baltimore Banner, which reported that 16 female massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior during sessions held between 2012 and 2016 at eight spas in and around Baltimore. According to that reporting, several accusers said they ended sessions early or refused to work with Tucker again. The report also said Tucker had been banned from returning to two of the spas, a claim his legal team denied.
Five of the women who came forward said Tucker was erect during their sessions and that he fully or partially exposed himself. Others described additional allegations of inappropriate conduct.
On Feb. 16, 2025, the Banner reported that seven more women had come forward with similar allegations, saying Tucker acted inappropriately during visits to upscale Baltimore spas, including those at the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton Residences.
Tucker has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. In a statement to OutKick last year, he said:
“I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session, nor have I ever been told I am unwelcome at any massage therapy provider. These claims are simply not true.”
He said he was describing 13 years of experiences with bodywork professionals and added:
“I can assure whoever is reading this that I have never intended to disrespect anyone, cross any boundary, or make anyone feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever. It devastates me to know that anyone I have worked with would not have felt respected and valued as a professional, but more importantly as a person, and to anyone who has felt otherwise, I am sorry. I want you to know I am committed to ensuring that everyone I interact with continues to feel that I respect them and care about them as a human being.”
The Ravens released Tucker in May 2025 after 13 seasons with the team, describing the move as a “football decision.” Tucker was never criminally charged or named in a civil lawsuit over the allegations.
The case drew comparisons to allegations against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson, which also involved multiple massage therapists. Watson, who faced claims from more than two dozen women, settled 23 civil lawsuits and received an 11-game suspension in 2022.
Tucker, who turns 37 next month, is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, converting just 73.3% of his field-goal attempts in 2024, a career low. He remains a five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, and his career field-goal percentage of 89.1% ranks second-best in NFL history.
The Chiefs’ punter, Matt Araiza, was previously accused of rape in a legal dispute, but all related lawsuits were dropped.
Tucker had worked out for the New York Jets last month before the reported agreement with Kansas City.
