Justin Tucker will miss the first ten games of the new season due to a suspension. Following allegations of sexual harassment, NFL teams should now draw the right conclusions and not give Tucker a second chance – a commentary.

He was a constant presence with the Baltimore Ravens for almost twelve years. Justin Tucker cemented his legendary status in Baltimore with incredibly consistent performances and a string of NFL records over a decade.

Until the 2024 season, when the almost perfect world Tucker lived in began to crumble. The most accurate kicker in NFL history had a horror start, missing eight field goals and two PATs after 13 games. Both were negative records for the otherwise accurate kicker.

Tucker stabilized after the bye week in week 14 and remained flawless thereafter. However, doubts remained about his status as the “best kicker in the league,” which he had enjoyed by consensus at the start of the season.

Given his contract situation as one of the highest-paid kickers, the Ravens faced a difficult situation: Could they fire their franchise legend because of one weak season? Or would this decision backfire, especially with their loyal fan base?

Ravens fire Tucker after allegations

Even before the season was officially over, a report seemed to make the decision for Baltimore: Justin Tucker was accused of sexual harassment by several massage therapists.

Three months later, the Ravens drafted Tyler Loop as Tucker’s replacement and fired their long-time kicker a few days later. Subsequently, no franchise showed interest in the kicker; due to the unclear sporting consequences of the allegations at the time, teams kept their feet still.

Now it’s clear: Tucker will have to sit out the first ten NFL games. So should teams with playoff ambitions sign him for the final stretch of the season? After all, he is still the most successful kicker in NFL history and was flawless in the final stretch of last season.

Deshaun Watson as a deterrent

The clear answer: no!

From a purely sporting perspective, teams quickly become weak when it comes to players in key positions such as quarterback or pass rush, even if they are stars with problems off the field – but the kicker position is not one of them.

Furthermore, Deshaun Watson’s decline in performance after a similar suspension has shown that no one can predict how even seasoned stars will recover mentally from such allegations.

In general, the Watson case should make it easier for teams in need of a kicker to do without Tucker. Ultimately, there was only one winner in this case: the Houston Texans, who received three first-round picks in the trade from the Cleveland Browns for the quarterback.

NFL should make an example of Tucker

Morality may not always be a top priority in the NFL, but it should not be ignored in this case. Tucker has denied all allegations, but the ten-game suspension is the result of negotiations between the NFLPA, the NFL, and Tucker’s advisors, according to the Washington Post. From Tucker’s perspective, this could also be seen as a concession.

The NFL would do well to learn from its mistakes. Players who are subject to such serious allegations should have no place in the league.

It has never been easier to make an example of a star player. Tucker will be 36 years old after his suspension and has already had his best days. If the allegations are not proven completely false, no franchise should sign Tucker again.