Report to the National Football League Concerning Issues of Workplace Conduct at the Miami Dolphins
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REPORT TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE CONCERNING ISSUES OF WORKPLACE CONDUCT AT THE MIAMI DOLPHINS By: PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP Theodore V. Wells, Jr. Brad S. Karp Bruce Birenboim David W. Brown Date: February 14, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 9 1. Martin Was Subjected to Persistent Harassing Language ........................... 9 2. The Harassment Humiliated Martin and Contributed to His Mental Health Issues .............................................................................................. 13 3. The Mistreatment of Martin Is Consistent with a Case of Workplace Bullying ................................................................................... 17 4. Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey Harassed Other Dolphins Personnel .......... 19 5. Repeated Acts of Harassment Contributed to Martin’s Departure ............ 24 6. Martin Did Not Fabricate His Allegations of Harassment ........................ 27 7. The Extent to Which the Abuse Resulted from Racial Animus Is Unclear ....................................................................................................... 29 8. The Culture of the Dolphins Offensive Line Does Not Excuse the Mistreatment of Martin .............................................................................. 32 9. Martin’s Friendship with Incognito Does Not Excuse the Abuse ............. 35 10. Martin Never Reported the Abuse to the Dolphins Organization ............. 37 11. The Fine Book Shows that Incognito Knew that the Harassment Affected Martin ......................................................................................... 39 12. No Malicious Physical Attack of Martin Occurred at a 2012 Christmas Party .......................................................................................... 42 13. Coach Philbin and the Front Office Did Not Know About the Harassment ................................................................................................ 43 14. The Verbal Abuse Was Contrary to Team Policies ................................... 47 15. The Dolphins’ Plans To Improve the Team’s Workplace Conduct Policies Are Commendable ....................................................................... 49 I. Background ............................................................................................................ 51 A. Events Leading to the Appointment of a Special Investigator .................. 51 B. The Scope and Independence of the Investigation .................................... 52 C. Interviews Conducted ................................................................................ 52 D. Material Reviewed ..................................................................................... 53 E. Expert Consultation ................................................................................... 53 F. Witness Privacy and Other Considerations ............................................... 54 II. Factual Summary ................................................................................................... 56 A. Relevant Parties ......................................................................................... 56 1. Jonathan Martin ................................................................................... 56 2. Richie Incognito ................................................................................... 59 3. John Jerry ............................................................................................. 65 4. Mike Pouncey ...................................................................................... 65 5. The Miami Dolphins Organization ...................................................... 66 B. The 2012 Season ........................................................................................ 67 1. Martin’s Arrival at the Dolphins.......................................................... 67 2. Insulting Language Directed at Martin ................................................ 70 3. Comments Regarding Martin’s Sister ................................................. 71 4. The View of Incognito and Others ...................................................... 76 5. Views of Other Linemen ..................................................................... 79 6. Treatment of Other Linemen ............................................................... 79 7. Treatment of the Assistant Trainer ...................................................... 83 8. Alleged Physical Harassment of Martin .............................................. 85 9. The Friendship Between Martin and Incognito ................................... 88 10. Martin’s Other Friends on the Dolphins .............................................. 93 11. Martin’s Performance During the 2012 Season................................... 94 C. The 2013 Off-Season ................................................................................. 94 1. Events of Early January 2013 .............................................................. 94 2. Events of Late January to April 2013 .................................................. 97 3. The April 6 Voicemail ......................................................................... 98 4. Events of April to May 2013 ............................................................. 103 D. The 2013 Season ...................................................................................... 117 1. Insulting Language Directed at Martin .............................................. 117 2. The Continuation of the Friendship between Martin and Incognito ............................................................................................ 118 3. The Fine System and the Judas Concept ........................................... 121 4. Performance of Martin and the Miami Offensive Line ..................... 123 5. Martin Leaves the Dolphins............................................................... 124 6. Martin’s Communications with Dolphins Personnel After Leaving the Team .............................................................................. 127 7. Incognito’s Entries in the Fine Book ................................................. 129 8. Ireland’s Communications with Zuckerman ..................................... 129 9. Martin’s Communications with His Teammates after Returning to California ....................................................................................... 130 10. Incognito’s Attempted Destruction of the Fine Book ........................ 134 11. Turner’s Pressuring of Martin to Defend Incognito .......................... 134 12. The Dolphins’ Response to Martin’s Departure ................................ 135 13. Owner Steve Ross Calls for Change .................................................. 138 14. Status of Martin and Incognito .......................................................... 139 ii Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 140 Appendix A ...................................................................................................................... 141 Appendix B ...................................................................................................................... 142 iii Introduction Jonathan Martin is a professional football player who began the 2013 season as the starting left tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. On Monday, October 28, 2013, midway through the season, Martin abruptly walked out of the Dolphins’ practice facility and checked himself into a nearby hospital, requesting psychological treatment. Within days, the press began to report that this 6-foot 5-inch, 312-pound, Stanford-educated, two-time All-American offensive lineman had left the team because some of his teammates had subjected him to persistent bullying, harassment and ridicule. The Dolphins requested that the NFL investigate the allegations of misconduct. The league then commissioned this independent Report. After a thorough examination of the facts, we conclude that three starters on the Dolphins offensive line, Richie Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey, engaged in a pattern of harassment directed at not only Martin, but also another young Dolphins offensive lineman, whom we refer to as Player A for confidentiality reasons, and a member of the training staff, whom we refer to as the Assistant Trainer. We find that the Assistant Trainer repeatedly was targeted with racial slurs and other racially derogatory language. Player A frequently was subjected to homophobic name-calling and improper physical touching. Martin was taunted on a persistent basis with sexually explicit remarks about his sister and his mother and at times ridiculed with racial insults and other offensive comments. In 2013, the Dolphins distributed a workplace conduct policy to all players, and Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey each signed an acknowledgement form stating that he understood the policy and agreed to be bound by it. The policy defines harassment to include “unwelcome contact; jokes, comments and antics; generalizations and