The Jonathan Martin vs. Richie Incognito mess was taken to a new level on Friday, as Ted Wells finally released his report on the situation. Wells conducted what was just short of a four-month investigation into the team's locker room culture and what eventually led to Martin leaving the team.
NFL roundup: Ted Wells report on Jonathan Martin situation; Roger Goodell makes bank and more
The Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito situation got a little bit of clarity (or not, depending on how you see it) on Friday with the release of Ted Wells’ report on the situation, we found out Roger Goodell makes good money and more from Friday.
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Martin left the team in late October after suffering what was described as an "emotional breakdown." He alleged that Incognito and other members of the team bullied him frequently, and that the Dolphins' management neglected to take any action in the matter on top of that.
Eventually, Incognito was suspended and neither player returned for the Dolphins during the season. Recently, it’s been suggested that Martin and Incognito will both attempt to return to football in 2014, but it’s unclear where they’d go or even if they’d be welcome.
The Wells report comes to the conclusion, in a nutshell, that Incognito and other members of the team did, in fact, engage in bullying behavior. As noted by The Phinsider, the report details a pattern of harassment that identifies Martin, an unidentified fellow offensive linemen and an assistant trainer as the victims of said harassment.
The 142-page report details a pattern of harassment toward Martin, as well as another offensive lineman, only identified as “Player A” and an Assistant Trainer, not just by Incognito, but also by center Mike Pouncey and guard John Jerry. The report finds, “After a thorough examination of the facts, we conclude that three starters of the Dolphins offensive line, Richie Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey, engaged in a pattern of harassment...”
It’s unclear where things go from here. This investigation was done independent of the NFL, as was requested by the Dolphins organization, and it’s pretty damning at this point. In addition to Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey, offensive line coach Jim Turner is also named as having engaged in the harassment as well.
As expected, Incognito’s lawyer, Mark Schamel, responded to the allegations on Friday with a statement. His statement claims that Wells’ report is “replete with errors,” and the facts do not support the conclusion that Martin’s issues stem from any harassment from Incognito. Schamel promises to release a “thorough analysis” as soon as they have finished examining the report, as noted by The Phinsider.
Following the publishing of the report, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also issued a thorough statement, though nothing is said regarding potential punishment. The NFL and NFL Players Association also released statements; those are more of the same, suggesting they are examining it and further comment or action will be made when ready.
Here’s what else you might have missed from Friday in the NFL:
Roger Goodell makes an awful lot of money. How much money exactly became clear on Friday, when the NFL told the SportsBusiness Journal that Goodell made $44.2 million during the 12-month pay period that came to an end on March 31, 2013. Goodell earned $40.36 million in bonuses and had a salary of $3.5 million. It’s worth noting that a whopping $9.1 million comes from deferred bonuses and pension from the lockout period in 2011.
Former New Orleans Saints safety and current NFL analyst Darren Sharper is being investigated for rape. He was formally charged with the drugging and raping of two women on Friday. There was also the reveal that he is being investigated for similar crimes in other states.
The Detroit Lions signed center Dominic Raiola to a new one-year contract a week ago, and on Friday, the contract details started to come out. Via Pride of Detroit, Raiola is set to make $1.25 million in base salary, and there's also a $250,000 signing bonus. It's surprising that Raiola didn't get a bigger one-year deal given his high level of play last season, as noted by Sean Yuille:
I’m honestly a bit surprised Raiola didn’t get an even bigger raise. Yes, he’s 35 years old and entering his 14th season in the NFL, but there was talk last week that he was going to get a “significant” raise. A $500,000 increase is notable, but after having such a great season, a $1.5 million contract seems like a pretty good deal for the Lions.
The Green Bay Packers added David Raih to the coaching staff on Friday. Raih will officially be given the title of offensive assistant. As noted by Acme Packing Company, Raih could also handle the coaching administrator role, which was vacated once Jason Simmons was promoted to a defensive/special teams assistant.
The Atlanta Falcons could be interested in bringing in former NFL general manager Billy Devaney. The team already added Scott Pioli to its front office, but isn't shy about bringing in more voices to potentially help the organization. Devaney was an assistant to Rich McKay when he was the general manager in Atlanta, and was the general manager of the St. Louis Rams from 2008-11. It's unclear what his role would be with the Falcons.
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