Ravens' Harbaugh says cutting Tucker was 'complex' decision - ESPN

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Speaking for the first time since the release of Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged Wednesday that it was a «complex decision-making process» that included himself, owner Steve Bisciotti, team president Sashi Brown and general manager Eric DeCosta.

Tucker, the NFL's most accurate kicker, was released by the Ravens on May 5 amid an NFL investigation for sexual misconduct.

«I mean, you're talking about arguably the best kicker in the history of the game,» Harbaugh said after the team's second OTA practice of the offseason. «And like we said, it's multi-layered [and] it's complicated. But in the end, it all comes back to what you have to do to get ready for your team to play the first game. And I think if you step back and you take a look at all the issues and all the ramifications, you can understand that we've got to get our football team ready and we've got to have a kicker to go. And that was the move that we decided to make.»

Harbaugh added, «So in that sense, it's a football decision and now we have to spend all of our focus and our time to get these kickers ready. We've got a competition going on and [we've got to] get these guys ready to make kicks. So that's all I'm thinking about. From my perspective, it's like, 'We have to have a kicker out there making kicks,' and what's the best way to get that done?»

Tucker, 35, has been accused of misconduct by 16 massage therapists from eight high-end spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area, according to the Baltimore Banner. All of the alleged misconduct reportedly occurred between 2012 and 2016, Tucker's first five seasons in the NFL.

Tucker has twice publicly denied any wrongdoing. He has called the allegations