Mel Tucker, the renowned American football coach, has been in the hot water for some serious sexual harassment allegations. The former defensive back player had gained a name after joining Michigan State as a head coach. However, such allegations left people wondering about Tucker’s life. While many believed the former defensive back player to be single, people defended the statement by revealing more about his marital state. Is Mel Tucker Married? Well, many will be surprised to learn that Michigan State’s head coach is a family man.
That’s why the recent allegations and Tucker’s case have become more complex. Since Mel Tucker is currently on the radar, things don’t seem to stop so easily. However, before exploring the allegations, let’s take a look at Mel Tucker’s married life. Is Mel Tucker Married, for real? Keep reading to learn that!
Fans Doubt: Is Mel Tucker Married?
Melvin Gene Tucker II, known as Mel Tucker, was always famous for his football techniques and great play. Even in his high school days at Cleveland Heights, he made a great impact with his skills. Later, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He soon became a well-known personality after joining the Wisconsin Badgers football team as the defensive back. While he gained huge popularity for his effortless play and techniques, some couldn’t stop themselves from crushing over him. It later led to the birth of doubts regarding his relationship.
However, Tucker was single back then. That was why he was more into blind dates. While the player’s relationship details remained hidden, the source claimed that he met the love of his life in the late 1990s. But do you know it was also a result of a fortuitous blind date? Tucker met Jo-Ellyn on a blind date, which their mutual classmate had arranged. Back then, Jo-Ellyn was attending Rutgers University. She was a law student with little knowledge of football. But their mutual connection planted the seed of romance. So, is Mel Tucker married to his lover, Jo-Ellyn?
Surprisingly, Tucker married the love of his life in 2000. While details about their wedding ceremony remained under wrap, sources claimed the pair exchanged the vows in a private ceremony. The couple has been together for almost 20 years. In fact, they also share two sons named- Joseph and Christain. Although the player was living a peaceful life, the sexual harassment allegations had changed the dynamics between them. Reports suggest such allegations led to their separation. As of now, nothing is confirmed. But is Mel Tucker married? Or did they dissolve their relationship?
Shockingly, Mel Tucker Calls Himself “Single”
No doubt, Tucker was once living a wonderful life with his wife, Jo-Ellyn. But their marriage wasn’t all a bed of roses. So, aren’t they together? Is Mel Tucker married to Jo-Ellyn? Tucker told Brenda Tracy that he was very much single and had no connection with his wife, Jo-Ellyn. But why did that happen? Well, back in August 2021, Tucker met Tracy, a rape survivor, after a mutual acquaintance introduced them. Soon, the head coach introduced Tracy to his team to educate their athletes about sexual violence in sports.
Soon, it led to a budding friendship as Tucker suggested bringing Tracy on board to conduct more such sessions. While the two bonded over their mutual interest and love of Jordan sneakers, Tucker took things to the next level. The former head coach developed a romantic interest in Tracy; according to him, it was mutual. It began when Tracy told him she wanted a “sugar daddy.” The news broke after Tracy filed sexual misconduct allegations against Tucker. In his defense, Tucker said they had consensual “phone sex.” But wasn’t Mel Tucker married back then? Is Mel Tucker married, for real?
As per Tucker, Tracy started making flirtatious comments about his looks and told him she would be all over him if he wasn’t married, although Tracy denied these accusations. But her part of the story suggested that Tucker had a desire for romance, and he even called his marriage “too messy.” He believed the physical distance between him and Tracy made things more problematic. His urge to start a new romance with Tracy later complicated his marriage. However, the former head coach wasn’t single back then. Despite that, he called himself “more or less single.”
Tucker Even Tried To Seduce Tracy Over A Call
After filing a complaint against Tucker, the rape survivor revealed that he sent her photos of herself and complimented her eyes. He even gifted her a pair of Jordans, donated $2,500 to her nonprofit, and shipped $200 in cash through Venmo. It wasn’t over there. As per Tracy’s allegations, Tucker once called him via FaceTime. He was shirtless at that time and talked about his messy and unpleasant marriage. He even shared his desire to date Tracy. But then what about Jo-Ellyn? Is Mel Tucker married to her at present?
Well, nothing has been known, as Jo-Ellyn has yet to make any comment. But Tucker did comment that he was indeed “single” and “longing” for Tracy. But since Tracy put the boundaries, things turned dramatic between them. The situation even got worse after December’s Spring Game. Tucker called her several times and even asked to meet him alone. He was determined to hit the sheets with Tracy, per her allegations. However, the latter refused to slip him into her hotel room. While things turned dramatic, the last call made things more complicated as Tucker masturbated himself during the phone call.
But Tucker Shared A Different Story
According to Tucker’s side of the story, they mutually agreed to have “phone sex” as it could strengthen their relationship. He also revealed that it was Tracy who seduced him by saying that she wanted to hit the gym to look better without clothes on. But Tracy denied all the allegations, calling him an “ass man.” She said they remembered discussing something else when his voice got deeper and weirder. He then told her that he was touching himself and he couldn’t stop now. It made things more traumatizing for Tracy as it reminded her of her past trauma. Although Tracy stopped Tucker, it changed everything between them.
Tracy Then Filed A Sexual Harassment Complaint
Tracy discussed the incident with her assistant but didn’t make much fuss about this situation. At first, she pretended everything was fine. That was because her partnership with the school- Tucker suggested the school let Tracy educate their players about the sexual violence in the sports- was paramount. But things took a dramatic turn when Tucker stopped answering her calls and messages. Tracy learned that her sessions were canceled and this “phone sex” had caused severe damage to her career. So, to protect her career, Tracy finally filed a suit against Tucker.
Soon, the investigation began, and Tucker cited it was a mutual interest. However, Tracy denied shipping with him. Her attorney also provided evidence against the sexual misconduct. This soon made a huge storm on the internet, where many seemed curious about his marriage. Many questioned: Is Mel Tucker married to his college sweetheart? Again, neither Tucker nor her wife had commented on this. Even his sons hadn’t made any comment about these allegations. However, the leaked phone calls and texts hint that Tucker will be blamed.
The Aftermath: Mel Tucker Is No Longer A Part Of Michigan State
While the ‘Is Mel Tucker Married?’ question is surfacing on the internet, as people are more curious about his personal life, Tucker’s career has hit rock bottom. After Tracy filed the complaint against Tucker, MSU suspended the head coach without pay. According to her complaint, she was frozen for a few minutes after the incident. His action reminded her of her past trauma when she was gang raped by four men- two Oregon State University football players, a high school recruit, and a junior college player. She even stated that he “betrayed” her.
After such allegations, Michigan State hired an outside Title IX attorney to look deeper into this matter. As per the investigation, Tucker violated the school’s policy banning exploitation and sexual harassment. That was scheduled during the Spartans’ bye week- October 5-6, 2021. Following this incident, Tucker also threatened to ruin Tracy’s career. “These actions are not taken lightly,” Interim President Teresa Woodruff told the press conference in September 2023. In January 2024, Michigan State permanently banned Tucker and fired him for the exact cause.
He was even banned from future employment. Tucker was also forbidden from attending Spartans sporting events and setting foot on campus. While his career hit a dead end, is his marriage life facing the same situation? Is Mel Tucker married? Again, his wife hasn’t commented anything yet. But she’s doing great in her career.
Did Jo-Ellyn Break The Silence?
Unfortunately, Jo-Ellyn hasn’t yet commented anything about this incident. Neither has she revealed about her marriage dynamics with Mel Tucker. While the former head coach called himself “single,” his wife, Jo-Ellyn, didn’t share her thoughts. Well, it remains unknown whether they are living together. This is because Jo-Ellyn was nowhere to be mentioned in Tracy-Tucker’s conversation. Tucker’s wife is also an attorney and doing great in her career. She even engages in several charitable initiatives and works to impact society significantly. These include Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region.
She is even a board member of the Capital Area Humane Society and the Investment Club. Since she is fighting to protect others from the wrong deeds, many believe she won’t be supporting her husband in this matter. What do you think? Will she defend him? Are they still together? Is Mel Tucker married? Do you believe so? Comment down your thoughts below. Stay tuned. TechRadar247 will keep you updated.