Miami's Martin leaves team after 'emotional breakdown'

[Mr. Laz]

Jonathan Martin leaves Dolphins after 'breakdown'

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: Oct. 30, 2013 at 06:39 p.m. Updated: Oct. 30, 2013 at 07:00 p.m.
An unusual situation is unfolding in Miami, where Dolphins right tackle Jonathan Martin has left the team after suffering an "emotional breakdown" this week.

NFL Media's Jeff Darlington reported Wednesday that Martin is currently seeking help with his family after an incident at the team's cafeteria, according to team sources.

Martin is listed on the team's injury report with an illness, and is doubtful to play Thursday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that Martin was the victim of a prank at the cafeteria, becoming enraged enough to "smash his food tray on the ground."

The second-year pro has not been with the team since that time. Darlington reports that Martin immediately sought treatment at a local hospital. He has since left the hospital and is now spending time with his family, according to team sources.

Martin opened the season as the Dolphins' replacement for Jake Long at left tackle. He was moved to right tackle when the team acquired Bryant McKinnie via trade last week. Tyson Clabo is expected to start in Martin's place on Thursday.

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[blaise]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Sorry, I don't trust a word anybody within the organization has to say right now. Everybody on the Chiefs also stood behind Matt Cassel for 3 years too.

We should trust second hand media reports instead.

[Brock]

Lydon Murtha, who played for the Dolphins from 2009 to ’12, is adamant that Richie Incognito never bullied Jonathan Martin. (Cliff Welch/Icon SMI)
By Lydon Murtha

I don’t have a dog in this fight.

I want that to be very clear. I played offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins from 2009 until the 2012 preseason, when I was released after tearing ligaments in my foot and injuring my back, both requiring surgery. I have since retired, and I’m happily working in the auto industry and living outside of Miami. I went to college at Nebraska with Richie Incognito, and I consider myself friends with him and Jonathan Martin, but I don’t speak with them regularly and I’m not taking sides. I’m only interested in the truth, which is what I’m going to share, from my own experiences and from conversations with friends still on the team.

Before I correct some of the misconceptions and outright lies being reported in the course of this story, let’s first establish who Martin and Incognito are as human beings and their relationship with one another.

From the beginning, when he was drafted in April 2012, Martin did not seem to want to be one of the group. He came off as standoffish and shy to the rest of the offensive linemen. He couldn’t look anyone in the eye, which was puzzling for a football player at this level on a team full of grown-ass men. We all asked the same question: Why won’t he be open with us? What’s with the wall being put up? I never really figured it out. He did something I’d never seen before by balking at the idea of paying for a rookie dinner, which is a meal for a position group paid for by rookies. (For example, I paid $9,600 for one my rookie year.) I don’t know if Martin ever ended up paying for one, as I was cut before seeing the outcome.

Martin was expected to play left tackle beside Incognito at guard from the start, so Incognito took him under his wing. They were close friends by all apperances. Martin had a tendency to tank when things would get difficult in practice, and Incognito would lift him up. He’d say, there’s always tomorrow. Richie has been more kind to Martin than any other player.

In other situations, when Martin wasn’t showing effort, Richie would give him a lot of crap. He was a leader on the team, and he would get in your face if you were unprepared or playing poorly. The crap he would give Martin was no more than he gave anyone else, including me. Other players said the same things Incognito said to Martin, so you’d need to suspend the whole team if you suspend Incognito.

Which brings me to my first point: I don’t believe Richie Incognito bullied Jonathan Martin. I never saw Martin singled out, excluded from anything, or treated any differently than the rest of us. We’d have dinners and the occasional night out, and everyone was invited. He was never told he can’t be a part of this. It was the exact opposite. But when he came out, he was very standoffish. That’s why the coaches told the leaders, bring him out of his shell. Figure him out a little bit.

That’s where Incognito ran into a problem. Personally, I know when a guy can’t handle razzing. You can tell that some guys just aren’t built for it. Incognito doesn’t have that filter. He was the jokester on the team, and he joked with everybody from players to coaches. That voicemail he sent came from a place of humor, but where he really screwed up was using the N-word. That, I cannot condone, and it’s probably the biggest reason he’s not with the team right now. Odd thing is, I’ve heard Incognito call Martin the same thing to his face in meetings and all Martin did was laugh. Many more worse things were said about others in the room from all different parties. It’s an Animal House. Now Incognito’s being slandered as a racist and a bigot, and unfortunately that’s never going to be wiped clean because of all the wrong he’s done people in his past. But if you really know who Richie is, he’s a really good, kind man and far from a racist.

In my experience, he’s not the kind of person who would extort someone for $15,000. The notion that Martin was forced to pay for a trip he didn’t attend has been misrepresented.

Every year, as tradition, the offensive line goes on a big Vegas trip. Everything is paid for in advance, from hotels to a private jet to show tickets. Martin originally verbally committed to the trip, then later backed out after everything was booked. Now, if you can’t go because of an emergency then it’s okay, but to say you’re going and then decide you don’t want to spend the money later? Everything was paid for, and then when it was time to pay up he didn’t want to go anymore. You don’t do that to your brothers. The veterans who paid for it, including Incognito and others, asked for Martin’s share, and he gave it to them. End of story.

The silliest part of this story, to me, is the incident at the cafeteria, in which Martin was supposed to have been hazed when everyone got up from their seats as he sat down. Whoever leaked that story failed to share that getting up from a packed lunch table when one lineman sits down is a running gag that has been around for years. It happened to me more than once, and it happened to Martin because guys on the team say he was overcoming an illness. Just like when a guy is hurt, the joke is, I don’t want to sit with you, you’ve got the bug. Perhaps for Martin it was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but when Incognito reached him after he stormed out, Martin told him the departure had nothing to do with Incognito. Martin said it was something else. Then the media onslaught began.

Incognito was made a scapegoat for the hell coming down on the Dolphins organization, which in turn said it knew nothing about any so-called hazing. That’s the most outlandish lie of this whole thing. The coaches know everything. The coaches know who’s getting picked on and in many cases call for that player to be singled out. Any type of denial on that side is ridiculous. I have friends on more than a dozen teams, and it’s the same everywhere. What people want to call bullying is something that is never going away from football. This is a game of high testosterone, with men hammering their bodies on a daily basis. You are taught to be an aggressive person, and you typically do not make it to the NFL if you are a passive person. There are a few, but it’s very hard. Playing football is a man’s job, and if there’s any weak link, it gets weeded out. It’s the leaders’ job on the team to take care of it.

The most unfortunate thing about this situation is the consequence it will have on the careers of both men. Richie’s marked himself now as a racist and a bigot, and unfortunately that could be the end of it. Martin is on the opposite end of the spectrum, but no more likely than Incognito to return to the NFL if he wants. In going to the media with his problem, Martin broke the code, and it shows that he’s not there for his teammates and he’s not standing up for himself. There might be a team that gives him a chance because he’s a good person, but the players will reject him. They’ll think, If I say one thing he’s going to the press. He’ll never earn the respect of teammates and personnel in the NFL because he didn’t take care of business the right way.

What fans should understand is that every day in the NFL there are battles between players worse than what’s being portrayed. This racial slur would be a blip on the radar if everything that happens in the locker room went public. But all over the league, problems are hashed out in house. Either you talk about it or you get physical. But at the end of the day, you handle it indoors.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

So according to ESPN, if you're an "honorary black guy" it's ok to use the "N" word. Sweet, hope my coworkers are ready for this tomorrow.

Be loud and be proud my Nubian brother!!!

*FIST PUMP*

[Chest Rockwell]

Originally Posted by Otter

Be loud and be proud my Nubian brother!!!

"What's a 'nubian?'"

[TEX]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

They forced him to pay $15k for a Vegas trip he didn't attend

Well that's not exactly true. He said that he was "IN" for the Vegas trip. Then at the last minute he pulled out after all the refund cancellation date had passed. So, they asked him to pay for his share of what he committed to. That's the real story that wasn't reported accurately as the narrative was being set.

[Marco Polo]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

I think it has everything to do with this. Think about it

Martin came from a wealthy family, private school was definitely the biggest and best player on his high school team where he was the guy, was highly recruited by one of the best education systems in the country.

Then there got to block for the best QB in the nation in Andrew Luck, played with guys like Fleener and Sherman. He was literally the MAN blocking for the best QB. Highly scouted and drafted. Groomed in his first year and kept in line by Jake Long, then Long leaves and the team gives him the keys to be the LT and block for their franchise QB in one offseason.

guys like Icognito take him under their wing all offseason. Seasons starts and the dude pisses away his opportunity, gets his QB killed every game, feels the heat from fans, media, coaches. Then he does so bad the team moves him to the right side and eventually benches him after they trade for 100 year old Bryant McKinne and would rather play Tyson Clabo who is terrible.

The dude probably never had to face any adversity like being benched for a bunch of aging veterans off the scrap heap. I dont know if he has an ego or not, but that team gave him something with no competition, he was terrible, then they took it away. And that could be the driving force, he basically quit on the team, and took the team down with him by airing out in house stuff.

He's always been the guy, beating inferior talent by his size. In the NFL where guys are bigger and faster he can't just get by on natural talent, and his ego (if he has one) or having everything given to him may be a factor in this.

This never would've happened if Ireland would've just gave up a 2nd round pick for Albert.

[patteeu]

I wonder if that Lydon Murtha story gives any of the people who wanted to rush to judgment any pause.

[seaofred]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I wonder if that Lydon Murtha story gives any of the people who wanted to rush to judgment any pause.

It won't.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by blaise

He's doing an interview on Boomer and Carton right now on WFAN. Pretty interesting. Worth a listen if they post it on their site later.

Basically he's saying it's mostly on Martin and Martin was soft.

Bottom line is that being able to play is the great "equalizer" here. Guys that are seen as non-physical/intelligent/passive are perceived as not being the norm in the NFL. However, if a guy is able to play, all that is overlooked. Big Willie Roaf was they same way EXCEPT he could play, so nobody picked on him or had to "toughen him up."

The NFL is one of the last bastions in this country where physical toughness is rewarded...If you're not tough, you're going to have problems. Not everyone gets a trophy in the NFL...

[blaise]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I wonder if that Lydon Murtha story gives any of the people who wanted to rush to judgment any pause.

No, the facts were in. We all know more than the people in the locker room.

[nychief]

Murtha's little valentine is damning, if anything. He throughs the organization under the bus... and admits that Martin was ostracized for being shy.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by nychief

Murtha's little valentine is damning, if anything. He throughs the organization under the bus... and admits that Martin was ostracized for being shy.

They should probably suspend the entire team, fire all the coaches and execs and then bankrupt the franchise.

[nychief]

Originally Posted by blaise

They should probably suspend the entire team, fire all the coaches and execs and then bankrupt the franchise.

That is the next logical step, obviously.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by nychief

That is the next logical step, obviously.

Well, it would be reasonable to call for coach and execs to be fired.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Brock

He did something I’d never seen before by balking at the idea of paying for a rookie dinner, which is a meal for a position group paid for by rookies. (For example, I paid $9,600 for one my rookie year.)


.....


In my experience, he’s not the kind of person who would extort someone for $15,000. The notion that Martin was forced to pay for a trip he didn’t attend has been misrepresented.

He's not the kind of guy that would extort someone for a 15,000 trip to Vegas, but he did extort you for a $9,600 dinner. Okay.

I don't really blame Incognito for this, as I think he's an easy scapegoat. The fact is that this is a locker room culture of men that is built around a violent sport. Shit like this is going to happen unless the powers that be actively fight it and establish a culture where it's not allowed. They're (the coaches) to blame. Incognito is just an easy target because he's a giant douchebag.