The Baltimore Rens released five-time All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker on May 6 amid allegations from 16 women that he engaged in sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.
On Wednesday, head coach John Harbaugh addressed the decision for the first time while speaking with media.
Like with the team's official statement, Harbaugh declined to directly address the allegations. He described the process as "complex" and "complicated" and ultimately characterized Tucker's release as a "football decision."
"It was a complex decision-making process," Harbaugh told reporters. ... "You're talking about arguably the best kicker in the history of the game. Like we said, it's multi-layered, it's complicated.
"In the end, it all comes back to what you he to do to get ready for your team to play the first game. 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 he a kicker ready to go.
"That was the move that we decided to make. In that sense, it's a football decision."
From the Banner, in reporting subsequent allegations:
"Their allegations are largely similar to those of the women who came forward earlier, including that he had an erection for most of the massage, intentionally and repeatedly exposed his genitals and brushed some of the therapists’ thighs with his fingers. One of the seven new women said he left what appeared to be ejaculate on the massage table after his session."
Tucker does not face criminal charges and has denied the allegations.
“I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session," Tucker wrote in a statement addressing the allegations.
Tucker is regarded as one of the greatest kickers in football history and had been with the Rens for his entire 12-season career after connecting on 90.9% of his field-goal attempts as a rookie during Baltimore's run to the Super Bowl championship in 2012. Before the allegations, he was a well-respected member of the Baltimore community.