“You tried to ruin my career”: Former NFL player Richie Incognito finds himself once again dragged in the controversial 2013 Bullygate scandal

Former NFL offensive lineman Richie Incognito is re-entangled in the 2013 "Bullygate" scandal, defending himself against the media's portrayal of events. Recent revelations reveal Incognito's involvement in a harassment scandal, leading to his suspension and a media frenzy. The narrative took an unexpected turn when Jonathan Martin, the focal point of the controversy, publicly stated that he never felt bullied during his time with the Dolphins.

Former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito's bullying scandal, which dominated NFL headlines 12 years ago, has resurfaced, revealing hard feelings from Incognito, who claims reporting on the story threatened his career.

In 2013, 6-foot-5 Martin, a Dolphins offensive lineman, took a leave of absence due to bullying and teasing from fellow players, which went beyond rookie hazing and included threats and racist remarks, according to reports. Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins for detrimental team conduct. He missed eight games and, after a report by the NFL found regular harassment by Incognito and two teammates, did not play the entire 2014 season.
35-year-old Martin, a Stanford alum and MBA student at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has returned to the spotlight after retiring from the NFL, aiming to put his football days behind him and move on to another stage of his life. However, in the ESPN story, he said, "I never believed for a second I was being bullied," adding that he's been trying to "fix" the story for 10 years.

Former NFL lineman Incognito, who retired after the 2020 season, went on a social media crusade after ESPN's Adam Schefter and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported on his role in the bullying scandal, demanding responses to Martin's comments. "You tried to ruin my career over a lie!" Incognito wrote to the @ProFootballTalk X account. "You tried to ruin my life over this bulls***," he responded to Schefter. You’ve always been bush league," he said to Palm Beach Post reporter Joe Schad.
Incognito shared friendly photos with Martin, contradicting the bullying narrative he claimed was created by Martin's parents. Incognito, a former Buffalo Bills player, was accused of using racial slurs against an opponent during his three-season tenure with the Buffalo Bills.
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After a two-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, he returned to the Las Vegas Raiders for two seasons. Martin's comments on Incognito's behavior do not absolve him of the abuse reported. Incognito announced his retirement from the NFL in 2022, despite Martin's negative comments about his former teammate.