Former Dolphins OT Lydon Murtha talks Incognito-Martin situation
By Mike Dyce
The current Miami Dolphins players have sided with Richie Incognito in these allegations that he bullied teammate Jonathan Martin. Former Dolphins player Lydon Murtha addressed the controversy in a revealing column for TheMMQB.com to “correct some of the misconceptions and outright lies being reported.”
Namely, that Martin was an outsider and didn’t want to be apart of the group.
“From the beginning, when he was drafted in April 2012, Martin did not seem to want to be one of the group,” Murtha wrote. “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 is also in the group that doesn’t believe Incognito bullied Martin.
“I don’t believe Richie Incognito bullied Jonathan Martin,” he wrote. “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.”
More from Murtha:
On the Incognito voicemail: “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.”
On the Vegas trip: “In my experience, (Incognito’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? … You don’t do that to your brothers.”
On the cafeteria incident: 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.