Ex-NFL Player Richie Incognito Blasts Media Over Stunning Revelation That Massive Bullying Scandal Involving Teammate Was ‘a Lie’
Lynne Sladky/AP
Ex-NFL player Richie Incognito went off on the media on Sunday over its coverage of Bullygate after Jonathan Martin revealed that the scandal that derailed Incognito’s career was greatly over-exaggerated.
Incognito found himself at the center of a massive controversy in 2013 when it was reported that he allegedly harassed Martin, his teammate and fellow offensive linema . According to reporting at the time, Incognito’s behavior had gone beyond typical teammate hazing, and had been going on since Martin was drafted the year before. In a voice message from April 2013, Incognito called Martin a “half n***** piece of shit.”
The scandal cost Incognito more than a year of his career. The Dolphins suspended him in November 2013 and lifted the suspension at the end of the season in February. He did not play the entire 2014-15 and was later signed by the Buffalo Bills in 2015.
In a recent ESPN profile of Martin, the retired offensive tackle revealed that, contrary to the avalanche of reports at the time, he never felt bullied. The profile read:
“I never believed for a second I was being bullied,” Martin says now.
He wants the world to forget the only thing it remembers about him.
“It’s a story,” he says, “that I’ve been trying to fix for 10 years.”
In response to that report, Incognito took to X/Twitter to rail against the “legacy media” that tried to “ruin” his career.
“He couldn’t cut it in the NFL so he quit and his mom blamed me,” Incognito said. “Legacy media pushed this narrative long and far. Too bad it was all a lie! They lied to protect his money. He quit… the team had every right to claw back that money. His mom started the bullying narrative with @espn @AdamSchefter so that @MiamiDolphins wouldn’t go after his signing bonus!”
Incognito then posted multiple photos showing him hanging out with Martin during their playing days. He also called out ProFootballTalk for the way the outlet reported on the story a decade ago.
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