The NFL announced the conclusion of its six-month investigation of the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. The result holds the franchise guilty of violating the league’s tampering policies. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been fined $1.5 million and suspended from team activities as well as operations through October 17, 2022. Miami will also forfeit its first-rounder next year and a third-rounder pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The NFL wrote that Miami had “impermissible communications” with former New England Patriots QB Tom Brady in 2019-2020 and another discussion alongside his agent after the 2021 season. Aside from Brady, the Dolphins also had a similar conversation with the agent of New Orleans Saints ex-coach Sean Payton in January this year. However, the NFL did not find Miami to have purposely lost games in a bid to improve its draft prospects.
In the wake of the findings, Brady and Payton would not face any disciplinary action from the NFL, as per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
NFL concludes investigation, imposes discipline on Dolphins
The penalties imposed on the Dolphins marked the conclusion of the NFL’s investigation following allegations that the franchise had intentionally lost games in the 2019 season to improve its draft prospects the following year. Also, there were no findings that hold the then coach Brian Flores to have been instructed to do as such.
While the NFL did not find any evidence that the team had intentionally lost games in the year cited above, it was proven that Miami had “impermissible communications” with both Brady and Payton. Meaning that the team has violated the NFL’s anti-tampering policy.
“The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity. I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition on tampering with both a head coach and star player,” NFL Commissioner Goodell said via the release.
“To the potential detriment of multiple other clubs, over a period of several years. Similarly, I know of no prior instance in which ownership was so directly involved in the violations.”
Dolphins’ vice chairman and limited partner Bruce Beal were highly responsible for the “numerous and detailed” conversations with Brady during his time with the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Beal approached Brady for a possibility to serve as Miami’s limited partner, football executive and play for the team. Both Ross and Beal were “active participants” in the discussions with Brady.
Payton’s case is similar to Brady’s as the Dolphins were keen to have him work with the team as its head coach. However, Miami had not received consent from New Orleans to hold these conversations with Payton, which took place before the coach announced his retirement from the team. Even after the announcement, the Saints declined to grant the Dolphins to such discussions.
After the investigation concluded, Beal has also been fined $500,000 and is barred from attending any NFL meetings for the remainder of the 2022 season.
“Every club is expected to make a good faith effort to win every game. The integrity of the game, and public confidence in professional football, demand no less,” Goodell added.
“An owner or senior executive must understand the weight that his or her words carry, and the risk that a comment will be taken seriously and acted upon, even if that is not the intent or expectation.”