The Jonathan Martin story is finally starting to near a resolution, as Martin and his legal team met with Ted Wells, the NFL’s independent attorney, on Friday.
Martin is expected to meet with Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross in the near future to explain his sudden departure from the organization, and what he feels was rampant mistreatment from Richie Incognito.
He’ll have plenty of time to get his story straight and gather all relevant details, as he is reportedly out for the season, and isn’t expected to ever play for the Dolphins again.
Martin said he’d like to play football again. Even with this incident, he’ll probably get a shot. 24-year-old offensive linemen with second-round pedigree can typically earn an opportunity. But the real question is whether Martin should ever set foot in an NFL locker room again.
He shouldn’t.
Martin is educated. He graduated from Stanford. He can easily get a job that will eventually pay him triple figures. And he’ll never have to be subject to the bullying that will only intensify if he ever decides to play again.
Most NFL players have said they don’t feel that Martin handled this situation correctly. Some say that his “abuse” is typical, and he was too sensitive. Some say, at the very least, he should’ve kept the problem in-house, and not let reporters and fans hear about what happens in the locker room.
And I’m betting most players won’t be all that welcoming of having Martin play next to them. Football is a brutal sport, where strength and toughness are the highest valued qualities. In many NFL players’ minds, Martin doesn’t possess either.
If Martin truly has mental and emotional issues, a football team isn’t the right place for him. A locker room is nothing like normal society. Those that try to compare the football workplace to a typical job are missing the point. There really is no comparison, as Martin quickly found out.
It doesn’t help that Martin wasn’t a particularly productive player. Talent often trumps personality (Exhibit A: Incognito, a well-known jerk for his entire career, was considered a leader in the Dolphins locker room). The only thing worse than poor play is being a distraction, and Martin is sure to bring increased media attention for any team he plays for.
For it to work, Martin would need a true “big brother” on the team, who could take the young player under his wing and help him re-acclimate to football. Not a big brother who insults you, bullies you, and thinks saying racial epithets is just part of the game. A big brother who is a veteran, understands the game and the locker room dynamics, and can give him real advice to help him have a long, productive career.
Good luck in finding that. And if Martin thought what he went through was bullying before, just wait until he gets back on the football field. Opposing fans will be brutal, and opposing players will look for any and every opportunity to use this incident to get in Martin’s head.
Is all of that really worth it? If it is to Martin, then good luck to him. I hope he can fulfill what was probably a childhood dream of playing in the NFL. But it seems like Martin can have a better life away from the game.
It’s completely unfair that Martin had to go through what he felt was abuse. If he truly felt that Incognito and the Dolphins were bullying him, and it was affecting his mental health, then it’s understandable that he had to walk away.
But leaving the team was a point of no return for Martin’s football career. He can’t come back to the game now. He’s a pariah, fairly or unfairly, and it’s going to affect his play, his teammates, and ultimately, whatever organization decides to sign him.
Martin will get another chance to play professional football. He shouldn’t take it.
Follow Stefen Lovelace on Twitter @StefenLovelace