Richie Incognito NFL Career Likely Over After Bullying, Racist Remarks To Jonathan Martin
Richie Incognito has been suspended indefinitely from the Miami Dolphins, and NFL insiders believe his career in the league is likely over after a series of racist and threatening remarks toward teammate Jonathan Martin has emerged.
Martin left the team abruptly last week after what was reported as a prank in the cafeteria from his fellow offensive lineman. Reports said the teammates verbally harassed Martin, which caused the second-year player to snap and leave the team’s facility.
Though there were few details at first as to what was behind the incident, over the weekend a picture emerged of extended bullying toward the team’s young players, but Martin in particular. Reports said that Richie Incognito was the ringleader in the abuse of Martin, with center Mike Pouncey also involved.
Some of the incidents included harassment — Incognito nicknamed the soft-spoken Jonathan Martin “Big Weirdo” and reportedly picked on him continually. Others range closer to extortion, with rookies forced to pick up a $30,000 restaurant bill and Incognito goading Martin to pay $15,000 toward a Las Vegas trip that Martin did not attend.
The harassment of Jonathan Martin “was not an isolated incident — not even close,” one source told CBS Sports. “It’s been going on almost since they drafted him.”
Others found instances of Incognito and other Miami Dolphins players making fun of Martin through social media.
@Josh_YM_Samuda @j_martin71 hahaha!! Yep pic.twitter.com/mmOh7GiO
— Richie incognito (@68INCOGNITO) January 2, 2013
Richie Incognito steadfastly denied any involvement, calling out ESPN reporter Adam Schefter for reporting on alleged harassment.
@espn shame on you for attaching my name to false speculation. I won’t be holding my breathe for an apology
— Richie incognito (@68INCOGNITO) November 3, 2013
@AdamSchefter Stop slandering my name. You hide behind “sources” who are not man enough to put their name behind the BS you report
— Richie incognito (@68INCOGNITO) November 3, 2013
@AdamSchefter Enough is enough If you or any of the agents you sound off for have a problem with me, you know where to find me #BRINGIT
— Richie incognito (@68INCOGNITO) November 3, 2013
But Richie Incognito later went silent after Schefter released transcripts of voice mail messages Incognito left for Martin that were threatening and used racially charged language. Multiple sources confirmed the transcript of one of the voicemail messages:
“Hey, wassup, you half n—– piece of s—. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s— in your f—— mouth. [I’m going to] slap your f—— mouth. [I’m going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F— you, you’re still a rookie. I’ll kill you.”
After the release, TMZ found other footage of a shirtless Richie Incognito using the n-word while partying.
With mounting evidence of Richie Incognito leading bullying of Jonathan Martin, sources close to the Miami Dolphins say Incognito is done with the team, and others say his NFL career is likely over as well. There is no word yet when Martin could rejoin the team.
