John Harbaugh Talks About Justin Tucker’s Departure from the Ravens
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh addressed Justin Tucker’s departure for the first time, highlighting that it was a “complex decision” involving several key members of the organization.
The decision, made on May 5, came amid an NFL investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct by Tucker.
Harbaugh explained that the decision was multifaceted and complicated, but ultimately, it was based on the team’s preparation for the season. The coach emphasized the need to have a kicker ready for the first game and the importance of focusing on the competition between the new kickers.We are talking about who could be the best kicker in the history of the game.
John Harbaugh
Tucker, 35, has been accused of misconduct by 16 massage therapists from spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area. The accusations date from between 2012 and 2016, Tucker’s first five years in the NFL. The player has publicly denied any wrongdoing, calling the accusations “false” and the article that reported them “desperate sensationalism.”
The Ravens decided to cut Tucker after selecting Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the NFL draft, the first time in 30 years that the team drafted a kicker.
Faced with the question of how the decision was justified as a “football decision” given that Tucker hadn’t kicked since January, Harbaugh reiterated that it was a complex decision with multiple factors at play.
Tucker is coming off the worst season of his 13-year NFL career, with a field goal conversion percentage of 73.3%, ranking 31st in the league.
The Ravens are holding a competition between Loop and John Hoyland, an undrafted rookie from Wyoming, to replace Tucker. The last time the Ravens had a rookie kicker was with Tucker in 2012, when Baltimore won the Super Bowl.
Harbaugh also addressed the level of risk involved in relying on a rookie kicker for a championship team.
