The Miami Dolphins have found themselves at the center of plenty of controversy through the years. Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion history, Tyreek Hill being arrested before a game, and a coach being fired due to drug use and his dealings with a sex worker. More news: Multiple New Accusers Emerge in Ravens’ Justin Tucker Sexual Misconduct Scandal Despite the multiple headlines involving the team, none was bigger than the infamous “bullygate” scandal, which took place during the 2023 season.
A then-offensive lineman for the team by the name of Jonathan Martin was the subject of deep ridicule and bullying, leading to multiple players being cut, including a coach being fired. The seemingly long-forgotten scandal came rocketing back into the lives of everyone affected when ESPN published a story and interview with Martin. While the piece was meant to showcase what the former NFL player was doing with his life since the scandal, Martin let loose an important detail that has rocked the league once again. “I never believed for a second I was being bullied,” Jonathan Martin told ESPN. “It’s a story I’ve been trying to fix for 10 years,” Martin said. Martin’s admission comes more than 10 years following the fallout from his alleged bullying. One of the biggest persons affected by the story is former fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito.
Incognito claimed his innocence for years but chose not to speak out about the report or the fallout likely due to what the report cost him in his professional career. Incognito was named as one of the main accusers in the 144-page report from Tedd Wells, which was conducted by the NFL to determine the truth of the bullying accusations that all but changed the league. The result of the report led to the OL being cut by the Dolphins, and losing the entire 2014 season, along with around $10 million. Incognito did speak out, first to Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, stating: “It took him 10 years to tell the truth!” Richie Incognito wrote to me in a private exchange.
Then, the former lineman took to X to post a flurry of messages about his innocence. Incognito first stated his feelings about the bombshell story, stating: “He couldn’t cut it in the NFL so he quit and his mom blamed me. Legacy media pushed this narrative long and far. Too bad it was all a lie! They lied to protect his money. He quit… the team had every right to claw back that money. His mom started the bullying narrative with espnAdam Schefter so that MiamiDolphins wouldn’t go after his signing bonus!” Incognito then shared images of himself, Martin, and Mike Pouncey, making a mockery of the bullying that Martin received. “This is us bullying Mike Pouncey for wearing a blanket during our buggy ride to dinner in Indianapolis the night before the game. 09/24/2013.” Incognito likely feels a sense of relief after claiming his innocence and having Martin rectify what happened, or rather admit that he never felt he was being bullied. Incognito isn’t the only player on the Dolphins at the time who responded, as former cornerback Nolan Carroll also weighed in on the admission from Martin, stating: “Not gonna say one guy messed up a season because we were up and down that year. But the negative attention and careers he messed up, Kevin O’Neil, John Jerry, Richie, Mike P, Coach Philbin. Yall don’t understand everyday it was never about opponents but how bad of a locker we had (which we didn’t) I remember when he was crying leaving the locker room because he couldn’t handle that he just wasn’t playing good and didn’t bother to work himself out of a hole. He just ran like a coward! Admitting this now does nothing. I don’t respect him, never will.”
The initial scandal rocked the NFL, along with the Dolphins at the time. It could be that necessary changes were going to inevitably happen, or that the bullying accusations was merely a byproduct of football players razzing one another in the locker room. Either way, this is the first time since the scandal happened that Martin admitted the scandal was all but a lie. More NFL: Dolphins Star Tyreek Hill Takes Shot at Mac McClung All-Star Dunk Contest Win Dolphins Officially Release Three Veteran Players in Early Roster Purge For more on the Dolphins, head to Newsweek Sports.
