"We both talked about all sorts of intimate, private matters": Mel Tucker discusses relationship with Brenda Tracy in statement

Mel Tucker has been suspended, without pay, from his position as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans after he was accused of sexual harassment by Brenda Tracy. The university could try to avoid paying Tucker his buyout clause, which would be more than $70,000,000, as they may fire him with cause.

Brett McMurphy of The Action Network reported that Michigan State will await the results of his pending Title IX investigation before making the news official, tweeting:

"Michigan State AD Alan Haller says coach Mel Tucker suspended w/out pay pending outcome of Title IX investigation. “This is just a formality,” source told @ActionNetworkHQ “Mel Tucker has coached his last game at MSU. This is something school legally must proceed w/(regarding Tucker's buyout/fired with cause). There’s a lot that could still come out. This is about damage control"

Tucker, who has denied any wrongdoing, released a statement on Monday in which he claimed that the nature of his relationship with Tracy was mutual and consensual. In the statement released by his lawyer, he said:

"We developed a mutual friendship that grew into an intimate, adult relationship; at this point, my wife and I had been estranged for a long time. Ms. Tracy and I engaged in dozens of calls throughout fall 2021 and winter 2022, many of which she initiated and which occurred late at night. We both talked about all sorts of intimate, private matters. She told me that I could trust her, and I proceeded to do just that."

Check out Mel Tucker's full statement here.

Tucker added that the investigator hired by Michigan State ruled that their relationship was personal. He claimed that Tracy, who is a rape survivor and sexual assault prevention advocate, did not accuse him of any wrongdoing until he complained that she was spreading rumors about his marriage.

Mel Tucker claims that phone call with Brenda Tracy was 'mutual'

Mel Tucker faces accusations of sending unwanted advances, which include masturbating on a phone call, to Brenda Tracy. He addressed the allegations in his statement:

"It was an entirely mutual, private event between two adults living at opposite ends of the country. She initiated the discussion that night, sent me a provocative picture of the two of us together, suggested what she may look like without clothes, and never once during the 36 minutes did she object in any manner, much less hang up the phone."

He went on to allege that the nature of the accusations could be driven by financial motivation. Tucker was interviewed by Title IX investigator Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger in March. In July, she ruled that there was no finding of fault; however, a hearing is planned for October.