The situation around the resignation of Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster is "just the latest black eye for a franchise just four years removed from an ugly bullying scandal that stretched on for months and cost several players and staffers their jobs," according to Adam Beasley of the MIAMI HERALD. In the years since, the Dolphins used a '16 first-round pick on OT Laremy Tunsil, who was "videotaped smoking through a gas mask bong" and seen another former first-rounder pick, DE Dion Jordan, suspended for the entire '15 season for "multiple failed drug tests." The Dolphins have also "grimaced when a team captain [C Mike Pouncey] wore a hat in support of an accused (and later convicted) murderer." Most recently, they "worried for the safety" of LB Lawrence Timmons when he "vanished from the team hotel the night before his debut" this season (MIAMI HERALD, 10/10). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde wrote the Dolphins "have to ask themselves a larger question about why they remain at the center of bizarre national stories." Hyde also noted previous Dolphins regimes’ "mistakes, from the mushroom cloud of Bullygate to details like the previous offensive line coach, Jim Turner, giving an inflatable doll to a player." Hyde: "Such things don’t happen regularly with the Patriots or Packers or other championship organizations" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 10/9). In Miami, Greg Cote writes this story makes the Dolphins an "even bigger national punchline than they would (have) been" in bringing QB Jay Cutler "out of retirement." Cote asks, "How incriminating is the video?" It makes Tunsil’s "draft-night bong mask look like child’s play" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/10).
WILD WEEKEND: ESPN’s Tony Reali said the numerous negative headlines effecting the NFL are “surreal.” In addition to Foerster, they include Vice President Pence walking out of the 49ers-Colts game and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones threatening to bench players if they protest during the national anthem. The Washington Post’s Kevin Blackistone said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is probably thinking, “'Boy, I’ll be glad when this season is over.’ What a calamity of events this past weekend.” The Colorado Springs Gazette’s Woody Paige said Goodell is thinking, “How do I get out this?” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 10/9). ESPN’s Dan Le Batard said because the incident with Foerster “is a juicy story, it becomes a huge story in 2017” (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 10/9).
