Richie Incognito landed at Miami International Airport Tuesday evening, just hours after the Miami Dolphins postponed their meeting with Jonathan Martin until after he speaks with the NFL-appointed investigator.
“Ted Wells and the National Football League have asked that we delay our meeting with Jonathan Martin until they have the opportunity to meet with him first. Out of deference to the process, we will cooperate with their request. We look forward to meeting with Jonathan directly as soon as possible," the team's president and CEO Tom Garfinkel said in an email statement.
Wells, a New York attorney, is leading the league's investigation into claims of bullying and harassment issued by Martin. The two are expected to meet this week.
On Monday, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he would meet Martin on Wednesday.
Ross had said he and Martin have communicated by text. Ross said when the story broke he called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and asked for an independent investigation. He said the team wants to get to the bottom of what happened.
“I don’t think anybody really knows what has happened because no one has really spoken with Jonathan Martin directly,” Ross said.
He and Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel spoke at a press conference in Tampa on Monday before the Dolphins' game against the Buccaneers in Tampa – two weeks after the Dolphins became the most controversial story in sports.
Martin, a second-year player, made a sudden departure from the team Oct. 28 after Richie Incognito and other teammates played a prank on him in the Dolphins' cafeteria.
Incognito was subsequently suspended after it was revealed that he sent racist and threatening messages to his teammate.
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Ross said Monday that he's setting up a committee to create a code of conduct for the Dolphins for the 21st century.
The committee includes Tony Dungy, Don Shula, Dan Marino, Jason Taylor and Curtis Martin so far, he said. It will include seven to nine people in all.
"Anything that can make our organization better, I'm fully supportive of," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said Tuesday via the team's Twitter account.
Fox Sports reported that Martin is planning to release a video statement as soon as this week, partially in response to the interview his alleged bully Incognito gave to Fox over the weekend.
According to Fox Sports, Martin will not directly address the claims made by Incognito, but will instead explain why he left the Dolphins two weeks ago.
On Sunday, Fox aired an interview with Incognito in which he claimed he is not a racist despite his use of the n-word in messages to Martin. He also said Martin once sent him a death threat via text message.
Martin's attorney, David Cornwell, released that message on Sunday afternoon, revealing that it was an Internet meme photo showing a dog in its owner's arms with the caption "I will murder your entire f---ing family."
Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins on Nov. 3 for conduct detrimental to the team. The Dolphins requested that the NFL investigate the situation, and the league appointed experienced lawyer Ted Wells to lead the inquiry.
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