Turns out ‘Bullygate’ was one big nothingburger lie.
ESPN article is a long 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."
……When Martin left the Dolphins' facility on Oct. 28, 2013, reporters started asking questions. At some point after his departure, Martin said during the 2024 call, his mother told a reporter that he was being bullied in Miami, that she "said the word 'bullying.'"
"I had a situation with my teammates that I wasn't super happy about," he said. "But my mother had her own read on the situation."
The word took on a life of its own. The situation went viral.
"I hadn't even told my coaches, hadn't told anyone," Martin said. "And suddenly it's on ESPN, right?"
At the time, he didn't push back.
"I didn't believe any of the stances I was taking, right, where I'm this victim," he said. "I wasn't a victim, right? And, again, it's been a point of consternation."
"His mom and I did strongly intervene," Gus Martin says. "To make sure he was protected."…..
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/437 ... -bullygate
Jonathan Martin walks back Richie Incognito bullying allegations that rocked NFL community
https://nypost.com/2025/02/16/sports/jo ... legations/
Remember Richie Incognito, the Evil, Bullying NFL Player? Turns Out It Was All a Lie
If you’re a sports fan and you were following the news in 2013, you doubtless read about then-Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito, who was pilloried across national media for allegedly bullying his poor, delicate teammate Jonathan Martin.
Incognito was the perfect foil, a hulking white lineman who looked like a frat boy and had arms thicker than most people’s legs. The allegations were so disgusting that he became Public Enemy #1 and the face of the bullying “epidemic” in America.
Only problem? It wasn’t true. How do we know this? Because Martin, the alleged victim, is now recanting his story. It’s a little late for Incognito, who has been tainted by the scandal for over a decade now, but I guess late is better than never.
The truth can’t get back the playing time Incognito lost—he was suspended by the Dolphins and basically blacklisted, losing the better part of two seasons. He eventually was able to partially resurrect his career with the Buffalo Bills, but his name was forever tied to the affair.
He’s still angry, as most people would be, and railed against the legacy media on Sunday:
…….It’s an ugly story all around. Were there some shenanigans? Almost certainly. If you’ve ever been in a football locker room at any level, you know there’s smack-talk, towel-snapping and roughhousing. It’s a violent game, and it’s not for the faint of heart.
But did it rise to the level of abuse and psychotic bullying? It did not, at least according to Jonathan Martin’s belated admission.
It won’t give Incognito all those years back, but at least the truth is out.
https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/02/17 ... e-n2185683