NFL to consider 15-yard penalty for use of N-word: Report

Recent racial slurs from Richie Incognito and Riley Cooper, in the locker room and a public setting respectively, have tested the limits of the NFL policy on tolerance off the field. But a radical rule change— which one group is proposing to the league — will penalize players for the use of the N-word on the playing field as well

The new penalty, which will be automatic 15-yards if a player uses the N-word, is set to be introduced during the league’s owner’s meetings in March, according to a CBS Sports report.

John Wooten, who heads up the Fritz Pollard Alliance which pays attention to diversity in the NFL, says he expects the NFL’s competition committee to suggest creating a rule penalizing players who use the offensive word on the field during play — where it is apparently prevalent.

The rule would also include the potential for players to get ejected from the game, if they use the word a second time.

Wooten, who was at the NFL Combine on Friday, said he wants to completely erase the word from being used in the NFL.

"I will be totally shocked if the competition committee does not uphold us on what we're trying to do,” he said. "We want this word to be policed from the parking lot to the equipment room to the locker room. Secretaries, PR people, whoever, we want it eliminated completely and want it policed everywhere."

Wooten spoke about his desire to completely eradicate the word from NFL workplaces at the Fritz Pollard event during the combine, wanting it to be fineable and policed throughout team facilities. He received a standing ovation according to those in attendance. Wooten said he will continue being vigilant about this with the NFL office and Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The NFL has yet to comment on Wooten’s idea, but he remains extremely hopeful the rule will be passed because “there is too much disrespect in the game”.

Just wondering if this will lead to penalties for other offensive terms like the F-word or Redskins? 

Dolphins officially put an end to Jonathan Martin's season: Report

Jonathan Martin's NFL season ended over a month ago but the Miami Dolphins finally made it official on Saturday.

The team put the troubled offensive tackle on the reserve/non-football illness list, freeing up his roster spot so safety D.J. Campbell could be promoted from the team's practice squad.

His season of despair will no doubt linger on.

The move was not unexpected. Martin left the Dolphins on Oct. 28, the start of what became an explosive probe into allegations that a culture of bullying was around the team and inside its locker room.

Offensive lineman Richie Incognito was suspended Nov. 3 for his alleged role in the turmoil. Media reports Friday said the Dolphins and Incognito agreed to extend his suspension past the four-week window typically allowed by league rule, and that Incognito would resume getting paid.

Investigator Ted Wells' probe of the team and its workplace environment is ongoing.

Jonathan Martin says nothing while arriving for 'bullying' meeting with NFL's investigator

A smiling Jonathan Martin said nothing to reporters as he entered a Midtown Manhattan law office early Friday morning. The Miami Dolphins offensive lineman was scheduled to meet with Ted Wells, the prominent attorney appointed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to review charges that Martin's teammates verbally and physically abused him.

Martin's lawyer, David Cornwell, maintained that Martin endured a "malicious physical attack and "daily vulgar comments."

Martin and a companion arrived at Wells’ Manhattan office and were met by a crush of cameras and reporters. The "bullied" lineman smiled but did not respond to questions while entering the building.

Teammate Richie Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins for his role in the alleged mistreatment. Incognito has denied any wrongdoing, and filed a non-injury grievance against the Dolphins for suspending him.

Gronkowski mocks Asian fan with joke about 'fried rice' (VIDEO)

It's hard to know if New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski knows about the uproar surrounding Richie Incognito's racist remarks these days — with all that preparation for his women's football clinic and everything — because the NFL's favorite frat boy openly mocked an Asian fan over the weekend, calling the guy "Leslie Chow" and joking about fried rice.

During his team's bye week, Gronk was hosting a Q&A with fans in Foxborough, MA Sunday night at Bar Louie Restaurant when people started dancing including an Asian man sporting a Gronk jersey, reported TMZ. 

According to the gossip site:

The Pats star acted surprised, and said — into a microphone for everyone to hear — "They told me he could only cook fried rice!" Then Gronk one upped himself by calling the fan "Leslie Chow" ... Ken Jeong's character from "The Hangover."At least one person in the group thought Gronk might have crossed a line -- because they immediately grabbed the mic and reminded the audience they all signed waivers agreeing to hand over ALL cell phone footage.

Now if that had taken place in an NFL locker room ... tsk tsk.

Anyway, someone managed to smuggle this footage of the frivolity out the front door.

Richie Incognito held offensive line meetings at strip club: Report

Richie Incognito has been suspended indefinitely by the Miami Dolphins, presumably for his alleged role in bullying left tackle Jonathan Martin, who left the team last week and is currently in California seeking counseling. While the NFL investigates the matter, new details of the left guard's antics continue to pile up.

The latest accusation against Incognito, according to NationalFootballPost.com's Jason Cole, is he would regularly hold meetings for the offensive line at a South Florida strip club and would "fine" teammates if they didn't show up.

“Richie wanted to set up Richie's world as a way for everybody to act,” a team source told Cole. “Richie thinks everybody should act that way. He doesn't get that some guys aren't into that behavior. Some guys don't want to constantly explain to their wife or girlfriend why they have to go to a strip club.”
And if players didn't go? Incognito would mock them for not being part of the group, Cole wrote.

On Thursday, Cam Cleeland, who was a tight end with the Rams when Incognito was drafted, said this about his former teammate.

"I'm not afraid to say that he was an immature, unrealistic scumbag," Cleeland told the Los Angeles Times. "When it came down to it, he had no personality, he was a locker-room cancer, and he just wanted to fight everybody all the time. It was bizarre beyond belief."

Although Incognito's Miami teammates came to his defense this week and he is expected to file a grievance against the team for losing his $235,294.12 weekly salary, the new details into his behavior don't help his case.

Martin, meanwhile, has hired high-powered attorney David Cornwall, who alleged Thursday night that his client was the victim of verbal abuse in the Dolphins' locker room.

On Thursday, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin told the media, "I think we have a strong group of men in the locker room. I believe we had one before this occurred. And I believe we'll have one after."

Just bring lots of dollar bills.

Richie Incognito suspended by Dolphins for Jonathan Martin bullying allegations: Report

Less than 24 hours after ESPN reported that he wanted his "name cleared," now Miami Dolphins’ offensive lineman Richie Incognito has been suspended indefinitely by the team. Incognito had been named as the “ringleader” of a group of Dolphins’ players who had been allegedly bullying and tormenting teammate Jonathan Martin since his rookie season of 2012. Fox Sports reported that Incognito allegedly sent Martin “threatening, racialy-charged texts.”

Incognito had been protesting his innocence via Twitter:

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Buddha
— Richie incognito (@68INCOGNITO) November 3, 2013

Martin left the team on Oct. 28, and his representatives have blamed Incognito and other teammates for his departure, saying that Martin was fearful of “what might happen to him” if he returned.

After initially downplaying reports of bullying as “mere speculation”, the Dolphins on Sunday released a statement saying that they would investigate the matter. Then, late Sunday night the team announced his suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team."

Garafolo: "Multiple sources told me Martin's camp informed Dolphins and NFLPA that Incognito sent threatening and racially charged texts"
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) November 4, 2013

At least two sources have implicated Incognito for alleged harassment incidents of Martin dating to his rookie season in 2012. It may have centered around money: CBS reporting that Martin was pressured to chip in $15,000 for a team trip to Las Vegas, and feared what would happen to him if he didn’t.

The NFL Players Association says they are investigating.