The saga of offensive lineman Jonathan Martin's departure from the Miami Dolphins due to mistreatment in the locker room, especially by fellow lineman Richie Incognito, has had many twists and turns.
What began as a clear cut case of locker room hazing gone too far has become muddled by a slew of factors, among them Martin's silence and the bizarre rallying of teammates behind Incognito, the alleged bully.
As the story unfolded, texts and voicemails from Incognito to Martin revealed racially charged epithets as well as threats against Martin and his family. Recently, Incognito's gone on the offensive to defend himself. In an interview with Fox Sports, the accused bully said his words were vile, but taken out of context.
"When words are put in a context, I understand why a lot of eyebrows get raised," Incognito told Fox Sports. "But people don't know how Jon and I communicate to one another. For instance, a week before this went down, Jonathan Martin texted me on my phone, 'I will murder your whole f---ing family.'
"Now, do I think Jonathan Martin was going to murder my family? Not one bit. He texted me that. I didn't think he was going to kill my family. I knew that was coming from a brother. I knew it was coming from a friend. I knew it was coming from a teammate."
As news broke and negative press piled up it seemed unlikely Incognito would return to the team. He's currently on a paid suspension. According to reports, though, the Dolphins have until December 2nd to decide what they're doing with this toxic player.
A league source told ProFootballTalk.com that Incognito's suspension is indefinite, but under the current labor deal it can last a maximum of four games. That means the Dolphins have to make a choice on December 2nd, after the fourth game of this ban has passed.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has texted his support to Martin, telling the bully victim that he is committed to creating a safe and professional working environment. If that is any indication of the way the team is leaning, Incognito better not hold his breath expecting a welcome.
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