Justin Tucker suspended first 10 weeks of NFL season for violation of personal conduct policy

The discipline comes six months after the former Ravens kicker was accused by 16 massage therapists of unwanted advances or behavior during sessions between 2012-16.

For the first dozen years of his career, kicker Justin Tucker was the kind of kicker any NFL team would want. He made 89.1% of his field goals, all-time, an accuracy unmatched in NFL history.

Yet Tucker, once a mainstay on NFL fields, won’t be allowed near an NFL sideline for the bulk of the upcoming season after the league suspended him for 10 weeks without pay Thursday for what it called a violation of its personal conduct policy.

The Baltimore Banner reported six months ago that 16 massage therapists had accused Tucker of unwanted advances or behavior during massage sessions from 2012 to 2016. The story prompted an investigation by the league.

The Ravens selected a kicker in April’s NFL draft and subsequently cut Tucker during the spring, even though his contract had three years left. He is permitted to sign with a team, attend training camp and take part in preseason games, but his suspension will take effect Aug. 26 and last until Nov. 11.

Attorneys representing several of the therapists told the Banner on Thursday that the NFL’s action “validated the experiences told by each of the victims.”