Here are Over 1,000 Text Messages That Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin Allegedly Exchanged
By Jason McIntyre
The Jonathan Martin – Richie Incognito bullying scandal will conclude later this week when NFL special investigator Ted Wells releases his findings about what happened between the Miami Dolphins teammates.
The messy situation, which unraveled in early November after Martin left the team on Halloween claiming he was bullied, centers around whether or not the veteran Incognito fostered an unhealthy culture in an effort to toughen up the second-year lineman from Stanford.
Voicemails Incognito left for Martin – as reported by ESPN – contained racial epithets and profane language. Some text messages exchanged between the two – as reported by Fox Sports, NFL Network and CBS in Miami – reveal much of the same. Martin went on the Today Show last week and said the attacks he endured from teammates were “personal” and “racial.”
Through a league source, The Big Lead has obtained the full transcript of over 1,000 text messages Incognito and Martin swapped between October 2012 and November 2013. The messages are what you’d expect from wealthy, young athletes: Incessant talk about partying, drinking, and chasing women. And there is plenty of bawdy back-and-forth banter that at times reads like a fraternity brother hazing a pledge. If Incognito was indeed tasked with ‘toughening up’ Martin – a question Dolphins coach Joe Philbin refused to answer in early November – did he cross a line? The text exchanges should offer some insight into the relationship between Incognito and Martin.
WARNING: Many of these text messages contain X-rated descriptions and explicit language. We redacted email addresses and home addresses, as well as photos and videos that showed the faces of others.
A few exchanges that may catch your eye:
* Early January, 2013: The much-discussed Vegas trip. Incognito tells Martin he needs to bring $6k. Martin bails.
* Between the Super Bowl and mid-March in 2013, Incognito appears most interested in how Martin’s offseason is going. That’s when there’s the most chatter about preparation for the following season.
* In late September 2013, Martin appears to pull back from the partying and hanging out, and he does so again in mid-October, right before he leaves the team.
Neither Martin’s lawyer, Incognito’s lawyer or Incognito’s agent returned calls Monday seeking comment. (Incognito’s texts are highlighted in green below, Martin’s are in the gray background.)