I’m tired of talking about this. The only reason I’m doing it is because Richie Incognito in the news again. Earlier this week, he tweeted this “Dear Jon Martin….. the truth is going to bury you.” Well today, the Wells Report was released and it revealed that Richie Incognito, Maurice Pouncey, and John Jerry did in fact bully Jonathan Martin. Here are my thoughts.

1. Richie Incognito is wrong. Just look at his track record. He’s been kick off several teams, voted the dirtiest player in the league etc.

2. The Dolphins knew all of this was going on. They just looked the other way.

3. Let’s not just act like Jonathan Martin is a complete and total victim in this situation. People have to want to change. Martin admits he’s been picked on since he was a child. Sooner or later he’s going to have to defend himself right? Check out these excerpts below from a great DeadSpin.com article.

On April 22, 2013, Martin wrote to his mother:

I figured out a major source of my anxiety. I’m a push over, a people pleaser. I avoid confrontation whenever I can, I always want everyone to like me. I let people talk about me, say anything to my face, and I just take it, laugh it off, even when I know they are intentionally trying to disrespect me. I mostly blame the soft schools I went to, which fostered within me a feeling that I’m a huge pussy, as I never got into fights. I used to get verbally bullied every day in middle school and high school, by kids that are half my size. I would never fight back, just get sad & feel like no one wanted to be my friend, when in fact I was just being socially awkward. Most people in that situation are witty & quick with sarcastic replies, I never have been. I’m awkward around people a lot of the time because I simply don’t know how to act around them . . .

His mother responded:

My first thought is that I am glad you wrote this down as a way to start figuring it out. There are people in the world with their own insecurities and they tend to be bullies and confront people. Dealing with them can be a challenge. I think when you feel really good about yourself they won’t bother you as much because you won’t let them define you. This fits into wanting to please and be liked. Some people out there are not worth it. W e do live in a bubble. Financial and professional success is sheltering. W hich is both good and bad. I think the NFL has a disproportionate share of people who are obscure but masking it with aggression. Your profession is really difficult with measurement and evaluation every week. So we need to build up you liking you. This is where some professional help would be good. They can help you structure your thoughts. And that whole brain chemistry thing is real. You may need some additional seratonin. . . .

Later that day, Martin replied:

I care about my legacy as a professional athlete. But I’m miserable currently. A therapist & medication won’t help me gain the respect of my teammates. I really don’t know what to do Mom.

. . . I just always avoid confrontation, which is what I’ve always done, and that leads to [people] perceiving you as soft. I did it at Stanford, and didn’t gain anyone’s respect until I became a star. Same thing in high school. I had no respect til I became a prospect.

4. This happens in locker rooms. Face it. Speeding on the highway is wrong, but everybody does it. You get caught speeding you have no defense, you get punished. The language that Pouncey, Incognito and Jerry used was wrong, but it happens in most locker rooms. They got caught, therefore they’ll be punished.

5. NFL players reading this…would you rather be teammates with Michael Sam or Jonathan Martin?

6. I fully expect some team to sign Richie Incognito to a free agent contract next season.

UPDATE: Check out Richie Incognito first words after he left his psych ward.