Jonathan Martin Tells Dolphins To Get Lost, But Andrew Luck Wants Him In Indy

Jonathan Martin told a Florida newspaper yesterday that he wants to “let the process take care of itself” when it comes to determining his future in the NFL in the wake of last season’s bullying scandal. But clearly he doesn’t want to return to the Miami Dolphins, because when the team asked him back, his agents told the Dolphins thanks but no thanks.

Martin walked out on the Dolphins last October, going public with allegations that he was hazed and verbally harassed by a klatsch of teammates led by fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito. An independent investigation conducted by lawyer Ted Wells backed up Martin’s claims that he was bullied, and that the harassment went beyond the hazing and taunting that goes on in most NFL locker rooms, even taking on a racist element.

Incognito was suspended by the team and Jonathan Martin was placed on an inactive list, but new Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey told Martin’s agents that he wants the 23-game starter back in the Miami fold.

Even though Incognito will likely not be back in Miami, Martin prefers not to return to the Dolphins where the atmosphere is likely to have been poisoned against him.

However, the Dolphins still control the contract of Jonathan Martin and owe the lineman half of his four-year $4.8 million contract. So it is unclear what Martin’s next move will be, or can be.

But there is at least one destination where Jonathan Martin would find himself “100 percent” welcome, and that is Indianapolis. Colts quarterback and team leader Andrew Luck was Martin’s teammate at Stanford University and said he considers Jonathan Martin “a great man.”

“I love Jon, we had a great time at Stanford together, still stay in touch with him regularly and I think he’s a great man,” Luck said in an interview Wednesday.

In fact, Andrew Luck is not the only former Stanford Cardinal in the Indianapolis locker room. Tight end Coby Fleener, wide receiver Griff Whalen and — on the defensive side — free safety Delano Howell all were teammates with both Andrew Luck and Jonathan Martin on the Stanford Cardinal squad.

Colts Offensive Coordinator Pep Hamilton was Martin’s offensive coordinator with Stanford as well.

Perhaps proving why it probably isn’t a good idea for Jonathan Martin to give it another try with the Dolphins, the team’s Pro Bowl deep snapper and union rep John Denney gave an interview earlier in the week saying that Martin “nauseates” him and that he blames the departed lineman for his own situation.