After weeks of an NFL-launched investigation, Richie Incognito voiced his feelings towards his teammate Jonathan Martin on Twitter.
Richie Incognito, who had been suspended from the Miami Dolphins since November 3 following bullying allegations by teammate Jonathan Martin, had his suspension lifted last week.
Richie Incognito, who will be a free agent in 2014, also went after Jonathan Martin’s agent and accused him of releasing a voicemail to ESPN.
The Dolphins guard has been waiting patiently for the release of independent arbitrator Ted Wells’ report on the alleged bullying scandal that rocked the NFL landscape last season but Wednesday Richie Incognito decided to let loose on Twitter:
“I’m ready to move on with my life and career. I’ve been dragged through the mud for months by my <<best friend>>.”
Richie Incognito voiced his feelings towards his teammate Jonathan Martin on Twitter
“Dear Jon Martin….. The truth is going to bury you and your entire <<camp>>. You could have told the truth the entire time.”
“Jon Martin—you started all of this when Kenny Zuckerman released the VM to ESPN. The same VM we joked about with @brianhartline.”
“Kenny Zuckerman from Priority Sports…. What do you have to say for your actions? Why did you release the VM. What was your goal ?”
“I’m guilty of being a loyal friend and good teammate. I apologize for my poor language and rude remarks. I’ve never denied it.”
“I apologize to all of the women out there that I offended with my text messages to my close personal friend.”
“FACT: Jonathan Martin told me he thought about taking his own life in MAY 2013 b/c he wasn’t playing well. Told me he felt worthless.”
“I have no further comment at this time. Please contact my attorney Mark Schamel…”
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Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito has been at the center of a racial scandal for the past weeks after allegedly bullying his own teammate Jonathan Martin, who left the team on October 28.
Jonathan Martin’s attorney, David Cornwell, released a statement Thursday saying that Martin endured harassment that went far beyond the traditional locker-room hazing. David Cornwell also stated that, beyond the well-publicized voicemail with its racial epithet, his client “endured a malicious physical attack on him by a teammate, and daily vulgar comments. The facts are not in dispute.”
Richie Incognito responded to the controversy Sunday, in a sit-down interview with FOX Sports that was taped Saturday at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. It is Richie Incognito’s first extended interview since the story broke. The interview first aired on NFL FOX Sunday, but an extended version aired Sunday night on FOX Sports Live.
In an exclusive interview with Jay Glazer, Richie Incognito asserts that he’s not a racist and insists that his relationship with Jonathan Martin was not as fractured as it may seem
In the interview, Richie Incognito asserts that he’s not a racist, insists that his relationship with Jonathan Martin was not as fractured as it may seem and says that much of what has been reported is misleading.
Richie Incognito also turned over his phone records, which showed 1,142 texts between him and Jonathan Martin in the past year.
Jonathan Martin sent these two texts to Richie Incognito three days after he left the team:
“Wassup man? The world’s gone crazy lol I’m good tho congrats on the win”
“Yeah I’m good man. It’s insane bro but just know I don’t blame you guys at all it’s just the culture around football and the locker room got to me a little.”
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Miami Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin endured harassment from teammates that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing, including a malicious physical attack and daily vulgar comments, his new attorney David Cornwell has said.
The allegations were made in a statement Thursday night by David Cornwell, hired this week as Jonathan Martin’s attorney.
“These facts are not in dispute,” David Cornwell said.
Jonathan Martin, upset by treatment he considered abusive, left the Dolphins last week. His agent then complained to the Dolphins, who suspended guard Richie Incognito.
The NFL is investigating whether Richie Incognito harassed or bullied Jonathan Martin, and whether their teammates and the organization mishandled the matter.
David Cornwell is a lawyer who has represented the NFL and several prominent players, including Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He was a candidate in 2009 to become executive director of the NFL Players Association, a job that went to DeMaurice Smith.
“For the entire season and a half that he was with the Dolphins, he attempted to befriend the same teammates who subjected him to the abuse with the hope that doing so would end the harassment,” the statement said.
“This is a textbook reaction of victims of bullying. Despite these efforts, the taunting continued. …
“Eventually, Jonathan made a difficult choice. Despite his love for football, Jonathan left the Dolphins. Jonathan looks forward to getting back to playing football. In the meantime, he will cooperate fully with the NFL investigation.”
Miami Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin endured harassment from teammates that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing
The Dolphins and Richie Incognito’s agent didn’t respond to requests for comment on David Cornwell’s statement.
Some say Jonathan Martin, a Stanford graduate who went about his business quietly, handled the situation well. But pro football is a macho world, and some players believe Jonathan Martin should have responded more firmly.
“Is Incognito wrong? Absolutely. He’s 100 percent wrong,” New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle said.
“No individual should have to go through that, especially in their workplace.
“But at the same time, Jonathan Martin is a 6-4, 320-pound man. I mean, at some point and time you need to stand your ground as an individual. Am I saying go attack, go fight him? No. I think we all understand we can stand our ground without anything being physical.”
David Cornwell disagreed.
“Jonathan Martin’s toughness is not at issue,” David Cornwell said.
“The issue is Jonathan’s treatment by his teammates.”
Dolphins players have robustly defended Richie Incognito, long considered among the NFL’s dirtiest players. He’s now a notorious national villain, but teammates praise his leadership and loyalty.
They’ve been less passionate in their support of Jonathan Martin, saying he and Incognito behaved like best friends.
Jonathan Martin is with his family in California to undergo counseling for emotional issues.
A senior partner in a New York law firm was appointed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to investigate possible misconduct and prepare a report.
The alleged bullying saga engulfing the Dolphins has shed a light on how damaging perceptions can be in the violent world of the NFL.
A Pittsburgh native, Jonathan Martin is the son of Harvard graduates and his great grandfather also graduated from the school in 1924. At Stanford, he protected Andrew Luck’s blind side, and also majored in the classics.
Taken in the second round of the 2012 draft, Jonathan Martin has what it takes physically to be an NFL player: size, skill, athleticism, intelligence. He won praise from the Dolphins for his diligent study of game and practice video.
But while he has been a starter since the first game of his rookie season, Jonathan Martin developed a reputation in the NFL for lacking toughness. That impression might have been reinforced by the way he handled his issues with Incognito, current and former teammates acknowledge.
“A lot of people might look at Jonathan Martin and think that he’s soft because he stepped away from the game, and say, <<Why don’t you just fight him?>>” said Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin, who played with Jonathan Martin at Stanford.
“Well, if you look at it with common sense and being logical, what options did Jonathan Martin have?
“He could fight Richie Incognito. He could go and tell on the players, which we know in the football locker room doesn’t go over too well. Or he could remove himself from the situation and let the proper channels take care of itself. And I think he made the intelligent, smart choice without putting himself or Richie Incognito’s physical abilities in danger.”
Richie Incognito’s harassment of Jonathan Martin included text messages that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation have told The Associated Press. Richie Incognito is white, while Jonathan Martin is biracial.
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The NFL is investigating allegations that Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito bullied teammate Jonathan Martin.
Richie Incognito, 30, was suspended on Sunday night amid claims by 24-year-old Jonathan Martin’s representatives.
Jonathan Martin, 6ft 5in and 312 lb, left the team last week to seek treatment for an emotional issue after reportedly being the victim of a prank.
The investigation casts a spotlight on a culture of hazing that has long been common in league locker rooms.
Richie Incognito protested his innocence on Twitter before his suspension.
The offensive guard, who was voted the NFL’s Dirtiest Player in a 2009 player poll, is a nine-year professional who is nearing the end of a $13 million contract.
Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin told a news conference on Monday at the team’s training facility: “The NFL is going to conduct a review of the workplace.
The NFL is investigating allegations that Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito bullied teammate Jonathan Martin
“It’s going to be comprehensive, it’s going to be objective.
“As an organization we are going to give our full and complete co-operation with the NFL.”
Joe Philbin said a decision had been made to suspend Incognito based partly on information from representatives of Jonathan Martin, an offensive tackle in his second NFL season.
The team said in a statement: “We believe in maintaining a culture of respect for one another and as a result we believe this decision is in the best interest of the organization at this time.”
According to ESPN, Richie Incognito’s alleged intimidation of Jonathan Martin included leaving him a voice message with a racial slur as well as threats to kill him and assault his mother. Richie Incognito is white; Jonathan Martin is black.
The sports network also reported that Richie Incognito had persuaded Jonathan Martin to pay $15,000 towards a trip to Las Vegas that the younger man did not even go on.
Speaking of Richie Incognito, an unidentified team source told the Miami Herald on Monday: “From a club perspective, he will never play another game here.”
The nature of the alleged prank that led to Jonathan Martin leaving the team last week is unclear.
But in a stadium programme sold at the Dolphins’ Halloween game, Richie Incognito was asked who was the easiest teammate to scare, and he said: “Jonathan Martin.”
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