A few days after the NFL's first openly gay prospective player, Michael Sam, came out to wide praise and positive support, the league's own hired investigator released a disturbing report confirming a pervasive pattern of bullying in the Miami Dolphins organization. Attorney Ted Wells found that the NFL team has a major problem with workplace harassment that apparently went beyond football players who torment their teammates. The NFL report concluded that three Dolphins players – Richie Incognito, John Jerry, and Mike Pouncey – "engaged in a pattern of harassment" toward Jonathan Martin, an assistant trainer, and another teammate. The raw verbal harassment included homophobic epithets, racial slurs, and crude demeaning comments made about mothers, sisters, and girlfriends. The abuse moved from verbal to physical and included improper touching and sexual taunting, according to media accounts in the New York Times . The report indicates that many in the Dolphins organization knew about the bullying yet did not say or do anything.
Incognito's alleged bullying of Martin first came to light last October, when Martin abruptly left the Dolphins under psychological duress. As a result, Incognito was suspended indefinitely on November 3. The report indicated that while some of the thousands of text messages from October 2012 to November 2013 included profane language by both players, Martin, who is black, felt humiliated by the persistent abuse from Incognito, who is white.
There were ugly racial aspects to the bullying, according to the investigation. The Times reported, "The mistreatment began early in the 2012 season, when the intensity – and the frequency – of the insults increased soon after Martin declined to fight back when Jerry, who is black, called him a 'bitch.'" And there was this: "Sometimes, Incognito would make jokes about slavery in [Martin's] presence and Martin would be teased for not being 'black enough.'" Incognito referred to Martin's sister in sexually graphic terms. Martin later told investigators that he did not express his anger to Incognito but that he was "extremely upset" as the exchange reminded him how he had failed to defend his family "on the many occasions that his teammates had denigrated them."
The report stated that in addition to Martin, an unnamed young offensive lineman was allegedly taunted with homophobic slurs and, as the Times directly quoted, "touched in a 'mockingly suggestive manner,' including his rear end." It goes on and on citing horrific incidents of workplace harassment that would not be tolerated in any other profession.
In a statement posted on the team's website, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said, "We have just received the report from Ted Wells and will review it in detail before responding relative to the findings. When we asked the NFL to conduct this independent review, we felt it was important to take a step back and thoroughly research these serious allegations. As an organization, we are committed to a culture of team-first accountability and respect for one another."
Incognito's attorney, Mark Schamel, told the Times that Wells's report was "replete with errors" and denied Martin was bullied by Incognito or "any member of the Dolphins offensive line."
In recent years many NFL players and other athletes made anti-gay and racist comments publicly, usually through their Twitter feeds or interviews. But in the Dolphins case Wells's report clearly details inexcusable behavior that was excused by team management in facilities under their control.
The Dolphins need to end this by sending clear, decisive solutions. The still-suspended Incognito should be removed from the team. Jerry and Pouncey should be suspended and fired.
The NFL must take immediate action: and if it won't then corporate sponsors must apply pressure. The league, a $10 billion enterprise, is a vast network of licensing deals involving companies and television rights. Employees are well compensated – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell alone was paid $44.2 million in 2012 – and star athletes make millions. The NFL is a professional organization and there's no excuse for not providing a professional work environment for everyone involved.
Gays can serve openly in the military and legally marry in 17 states. Hundreds of top companies, and lots of smaller ones, prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. But heaven forbid a player comes out on a professional sports team or is perceived as "weak." This last bastion of homophobia is like a fortress, so far impenetrable by gay athletes themselves and groups that support them. Goodell has a gay brother, yet he can't find his footing when it comes to demanding a safe work environment among the 32 teams.
Some team personnel were quoted anonymously in the press, warning that the NFL is not ready for an openly gay player. This is ironic, considering the topic was Sam's honesty in coming out and putting his potential NFL career on the line.
The law of averages dictates that there are gay players in the league today. They're just not open about it. But given the dysfunctional dynamics in Miami, it's more difficult to make the case that gay athletes should come out. Yet someone like Sam, who could enter the league in the upcoming NFL draft, can help create real change, and that's what it will take to penetrate the fortress of homophobia.