NBC’s “Today” aired a snippet of former Dolphins OT Jonathan Martin’s first public comments on the bullying scandal in which he was immersed. Martin said Richie Incognito was not the only player to take part in the bullying, saying, “I think it was the culture.” He added of hazing in the NFL, “I have no problem with the normal hazing that you see in the NFL, get a haircut, stuff like that, little pranks. But of a personal, attacking nature, I don’t think there’s any place for that.” However, he said, “I didn’t see it as my place to go above the heads of the leaders of the offensive line and talk to my coaches about my teammates.” The full interview will air tonight on NBCSN’s “PFT.”
NBC's Tony Dungy said of interviewing Martin, "The thing that maybe didn’t come across in this was just how personal this was for him. I listened to some of the voicemails and saw the text messages and it was, as he said, racial, personal, attacking his family and it was a tough, tough situation" (“Today,” NBC, 1/29).
The media attention around the Super Bowl is "ensuring Martin's remarks get maximum coverage" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/29).
