Mel Tucker Suspended By Michigan State Amid A Sexual Harassment Investigation

Michigan State suspended football coach Mel Tucker without pay on Sunday, less than 24 hours after allegations became public in a USA Today report that he sexually harassed activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy during a phone call last year.

via: Uproxx

The report from Kenny Jacoby of USA Today detailed the allegations, with the bombshell being Tucker admitted to investigators he masturbated during a phone call he had with Tracy. Tucker alleged it was consensual phone sex, but Tracy denied that being the case and detailed her horror at the experience, saying it only served to reopen the trauma of her past. The full report from Jacoby details the working relationship between Tucker and Tracy, how things arrived at the phone call at the center of the school’s investigation, and how Tucker and his attorney tried to stop the investigation.

On Sunday, the school’s president and athletic director called a 5 p.m. press conference. Brett McMurphy initially reported they will announce that Tucker has been fired, but Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press reports he will be suspended with pay pending the final outcome of the investigation, which has hearings set for October.

Tucker signed a massive 10-year, $95 million fully guaranteed contract after going 11-2 in his first season, but it does include language that terminates that guarantee if he is fired for cause — which this would certainly fall under. The university will face questions about how long it took to arrive at this decision and the timing of it all, only moving to discipline him after the news became public

MSU AD Alan Haller: "I was aware of the report in late December. The external investigator concluded their review and submitted their investigative report on July 25th."

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 10, 2023

MSU Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff: "This step to place Mel Tucker on unpaid leave is equally necessary and appropriate for today's circumstances."

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 10, 2023

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