Richie Incognito and the NFL's hazing problem

Alleged threats and racial slurs once again draw attention to institutionalized abuse in football

Incognito, Martin
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee))

The Miami Dolphins on Sunday suspended starting guard Richie Incognito for allegedly threatening and harassing teammate Jonathan Martin so extensively that Martin had an emotional breakdown and left the team.

Incognito allegedly left Martin a voicemail and text messages in which he called the second-year lineman, who is biracial, a "half-nigger" and said he was going to defecate in Martin's mouth. He also reportedly threatened to hunt down and harm Martin's family members, and pressured Martin to pay $15,000 toward a Las Vegas trip for fellow teammates, according to ESPN. Though Martin wasn't going on the trip, he paid up anyway because he "fear[ed] the consequences if he did not hand over the money."

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.