Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito may have worn the same logo on their helmets, but there’s no mistaking the two Miami Dolphins linemen.
Incognito has a reputation for being dirty, but he’s coming off a year where he was elected to the Pro Bowl and was placed in a leadership position in the Dolphins locker room. He was the leader of the offensive line, expected to help Martin and the other younger players learn how to be pros.
That’s where it all went awry.
We have a pretty clear picture of what went wrong: A young player is put under much emotional duress by a veteran who’s a racist, bully and just an all-around bad person.
The whole league and public supported the victim while shaming the bully, right? Well, no. The reaction wasn’t that simple.
According to reports, coaches actually encouraged Incognito to “toughen up” Martin, and while most of the public does indeed support Martin, many current and former players have come to Incognito’s defense.
“Was Richie Incognito wrong? Absolutely. But I think (Martin) is just as much to blame as Richie, because he allowed this to happen. At this level, you’re a man. You’re not a little boy. You’re not a freshman in college. You’re a man,” said New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle.
Besides insulting all college freshmen, Rolle pointed out what is exactly wrong in today’s NFL: It’s a ruthless culture with an expectation that its members will be alpha males. If you don’t meet this expectation, the culture will chew you up and spit you out.
Chicago Bears star wide receiver Brandon Marshall said it best. While he’s no angel — he’s had nearly a dozen run-ins with the law, before he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011 — he’s widely regarded as one of the most thoughtful players in the league.
When asked about the culture of hazing in the NFL, Marshall said: “A little boy falls down and the first thing we say as parents is ‘Get up, shake it off.’ ... Right there from that moment, we’re teaching our men to mask their feelings, don't show their emotions. And it’s that times 100 with football players ... for a guy to come into the locker room and he shows a little vulnerability, that’s a problem. That’s what I mean by the culture of the NFL. And that’s what we have to change.”
Arguably the most physically taxing sport in America, football players have long been gladiators on the gridiron. These behemoth linemen that Martin and Incognito battle go out and smash into each other at incredible speed all for the sake of winning a game. It’s always been a blood sport, one of no concern for feelings.
Marshall’s quote says a lot about our society as a whole. We live in a culture that expects its men to never show vulnerability, to be able to work things out on their own. The NFL is a microcosm for an issue with which our entire country struggles.
While the incident in Miami takes it to a new level, there has always been some sort of hazing in the NFL, specifically toward rookies. Rookies are expected to carry practice pads back to the locker room, buy breakfast for the veterans before plane flights, and sometimes embarrass themselves at the older players’ enjoyment.
Ricky Williams, a retired running back who played with Incognito in Miami, is also seen as a player whose thought process was much different than the rest of the league’s.
“How is bullying something that’s even mentioned in the NFL? Because that’s the kind of what we’re taught to do — at least on the field — is to bully the guy across from us so we can win the football game,” Williams said.
By not punching Incognito but rather leaving his team altogether, Martin took a risk. He’s putting his career on the line, and if he’s able to get back on the field, he may have lost the respect of teammates. But he made the right choice. While many are questioning his toughness, I instead commend it. By having the guts to put his career in jeopardy, we should support him and hope he is able to get back out there as soon as he’s ready. I’ve never been about blaming the victim, and I’m not starting now.
But the fact is that the NFL is a fraternity, one that takes years of hard work and dedication.
Just as with any fraternity, there has always been and always will be some sort of hazing. It’s a rite of passage, a way for the players who’ve earned their spots over years to have some fun at the expense of rookies.
And it’s often harmless — carrying pads or buying some breakfast sandwiches, that’s all in good fun.
The mentality is “I’m gonna have your back out there, and you’re gonna have mine." Regardless of whether a player is a rookie or a veteran, out on the field they're all equals and will fight for each other.
Like Williams points out, they’re being paid millions of dollars to bully the guys across from them.
It takes guys like Richie Incognito to win football games. While he’s clearly not of upstanding character, there will always be a place in the league for a guy like him, even if he occasionally goes too far.
Reach the columnist at stheodor@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ShaneTheodore
