Miami Dolphins in turmoil amid bullying, racism claims
Richie Incognito accused of harassing teammate
In the stadium program sold at the Miami Dolphins’ game on Halloween, Richie Incognito was asked who’s the easiest teammate to scare. His answer: Jonathan Martin.
The troubled, troubling relationship between the two linemen took an ominous turn with fresh revelations: Incognito sent text messages to his teammate that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation said.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins and NFL haven’t disclosed the nature of the misconduct that led to Sunday’s suspension of Incognito, a veteran with a reputation for dirty play.
Martin, a tackle, remained absent from practice Monday one week after he suddenly left the team because of emotional issues. Also missing was Incognito, a guard suspended indefinitely late Sunday by coach Joe Philbin for his treatment of Martin.
The 319-pound Incognito, a ninth-year pro, is white. The 312-pound Martin, who is in his second NFL season, is black. For much of the season they’ve played side by side.
The team and NFL continued their investigation into allegations by Martin’s representatives that he was bullied, and Philbin said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross asked league commissioner Roger Goodell for assistance. The NFL Players Association also planned to look into the matter.