Former Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin has reached out to Bills guard Richie Incognito to patch up their broken relationship, but Incognito has no interest.
The duo made national headlines in 2013 when an ESPN report and subsequent NFL investigation revealed that Incognito had bullied Martin, who left the team midseason. As a result, Incognito was suspended for the final eight games that year and then missed the entire 2014 season.
Martin retired after the 2014 season, stating that he had attempted suicide multiple times due to pressures related to playing in the NFL.
Incognitorevealed his feelings about everything that happened between him and Martin during a conference call with the Miami media before the Bills-Dolphins game this weekend.
“Zero conversation with Jonathan Martin,” Incognito said. “He has reached out and tried to speak a few times, but I have nothing to say.”
[…]
“The whole incident went down [and] I’m a pariah in the national media and basically turned radioactive there for a few months,” Incognito told media Wednesday. “Jonathan and I were close friends. I cared about him. If anybody was there for Jonathan, it was me. And Jonathan had his troubles. He had his demons, like we all do. He left for whatever reason and he handled it the way he did, and then really the story kind of takes on a life of its own. … I’m not saying I was a saint, but I sleep well at night knowing what I did.”
According to the NFL’s report, Incognito and teammates John Jerry and Mike Pouncey targeted Martin, another unnamed Dolphins lineman, a staff member and an assistant trainer with racial slurs, sexual taunts, and other forms of harassment.
The Bills gave Incognito a second chance last season, and he delivered with a Pro Bowl season and no off-field issues. The Bills are currently one of the hottest teams in football with four straight wins and a 4-2 record.
[ESPN]
