UPDATE: 5:22 PM EST
TMZ got their hands on a video of Incognito possibly intoxicated dropping the “N-word” at a pool hall in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In the beginning of the video, you can hear Incognito scream “Mike Pouncey n***a” while others laugh. The footage is from a few months ago, but it doesn’t help with the recent allegations of him calling rookie teammate Jonathan Martin a “half n*****r.”
Meanwhile, Incognito’s teammates are running to his defense.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill had this to say about his fellow player:
“All I know about Richie is that he’s been a great teammate … the best teammate I could ask for.”
More details to come.
UPDATE: 4:52 PM EST
CBS News has just announced via Twitter that the NFL has now called in a special counsel to investigate bullying on the Miami Dolphins.
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UPDATE: 4:30 PM EST
According to ESPN, due to emotional distress, Miami Dolphins player Jonathan Martin checked himself into a South Florida hospital. Dolphins coach Joe Philbin went to visit Martin during his brief stay and suggested that his fellow teammates visit him. Martin is currently in California with family and working with investigators on the allegations that led to his exit from the team.
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Apparently Miami Dolphins star Richie Incognito is a black man. He’s also a bully. And, according to him, his coach told him to be one.
If you haven’t been following the very messy story, NFL player Incognito was suspended indefinitely from the Miami Dolphins this week after reports and allegations from The Miami Herald and ESPN suggested that he bullied fellow player and rookie Jonathan Martin so much, he chose to take a leave of absence.
Now, the player is claiming that his coaches approached him and told him to “toughen Martin up” because he was too soft. According to Sun-Sentinel, Incognito claims he was just obeying orders.
Sources say that communication took place when Martin skipped two days of the team’s OTA program, and Incognito was encouraged by his coaches to make a call that would “get him into the fold,” one source said.
Even though OTA workouts are voluntary, the NFL culture forces coaches to strong arm the team’s leaders to make sure everyone attends. Sources say Incognito was doing his job, but they admit he crossed the line.
What’s more disturbing is that many of the black players heard the alleged voicemail the adult bully left for Martin, calling him a “half n****r” and thought it was OK because they consider Incognito more black than Martin, who is mixed. Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero reports:
“Richie is honorary,” one player who left the Dolphins this offseason told me today. “I don’t expect you to understand because you’re not black. But being a black guy, being a brother is more than just about skin color. It’s about how you carry yourself. How you play. Where you come from. What you’ve experienced. A lot of things.”
While it’s nice that Incognito has the support of his teammates, it’s totally the wrong kind.
The NFL is now involved in the matter and Incognito is under investigation. It’s more than likely that neither Martin nor Incognito will play in the upcoming Dolphins game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 11.
SOURCE: MIAMI HERALD, CBS NEWS | PHOTO CREDIT: Handout
