Richie Incognito, Guard, Accused of Sexual Battery with a Golf Club

Position: Guard
Height / Weight: 6'3" / 319 lbs
College: University of Nebraska, University of Oregon
NFL draft: 2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 81
Career history: St. Louis Rams (2005–2009), Buffalo Bills (2009), Miami Dolphins (2010–2013), Buffalo Bills (2015–present)

In May 2012, an anonymous woman filed a police report against Richie Incognito for battery after he allegedly "used his golf club to touch her by rubbing it up against her vagina, then up her stomach then to her chest" at an event in Aventura, FL. Incognito, who was allegedly drunk, then knocked the woman's sunglasses off her head, rubbed his genitals against her buttocks, and emptied a bottle of water in her face, according to the report.

Incognito was not charged, but the Miami Dolphins fined him $50,000 for "conduct deemed detrimental to the organization."

According to an independent report commissioned by the NFL and prepared by Ted Wells and his team at the law firm Paul, Weiss (explained below), in June 2012, "Incognito was accused of making inappropriate remarks to a patron at a Miami restaurant and entering her vehicle without permission." The Dolphins conducted its own investigation of the alleged incident but concluded that the allegations could not be substantiated. However, it was enough for NFL Commissioner Goodell to summons Incognito in July 2012 to discuss his "troubling pattern" of behavior, although no additional disciplinary action was taken.

During the 2012­–13 season, along with fellow Dolphins then-teammates John Jerry and Mike Pouncey, Incognito bullied and harassed teammate Jonathan Martin, an unnamed teammate, and an assistant trainer.

According to the aforementioned independent report conducted for the NFL, Incognito was the "main instigator" of the bullying. The harassment included "repeatedly and persistently" making "graphic, sexually explicit comments about Martin's sister," making sexual comments about Martin's mother, homophobic slurs, racial epithets, and "improper physical touching."

The "improper touching," described in the report, was allegedly committed by Incognito, Jerry, and Pouncey on an unnamed player "in a mockingly suggestive manner, including on his rear end, while [taunting the player] about his supposed homosexuality." According to Martin, on one "particularly disturbing occasion, Pouncey physically restrained Player A, and, in full view of other players, jokingly told Jerry to 'come get some pussy,' and that Jerry responded by touching Player A's buttocks in a way that simulated anal penetration." Jerry and Pouncey both denied this allegation, but Incognito acknowledge this kind of touching occurred.

More than a thousand text messages between Incognito and Martin, which were reviewed for the report, demonstrate a year-long history of an odd relationship that vacillated between bullying and friendship. Many of the graphic sexual comments about Martin's sister are recorded in the messages.

The harassment eventually caused Martin to leave the Dolphins and contemplate suicide.

The report also described Incognito's history of on- and off-field behavioral problems. At the University of Nebraska he was convicted of misdemeanor assault in 2004 and was subsequently suspended from the football team indefinitely for "repeated discipline issues." He enrolled at the University of Oregon but was "released one week later, reportedly for violating a team policy." According to the report, "At least three teams…reportedly passed on Incognito during the [NFL] draft because of character concerns."

On November 3, 2013, Incognito was suspended indefinitely from the Dolphins. The suspension was lifted on February 4, 2014. All but the first two weeks of the suspension were paid.

Incognito did not return Broadly's request for comment.