NFL suspends owner of Dolphins, first strips team of 2023 for Tom Brady, Sean Payton messing around

Six months later dolphins Coach Brian Flores accused team owner Stephen Ross Basically bribing him to lose matches For a better draft position, the NFL temporarily stripped Miami of both Ross and premium enlistment options, NFL media reports. Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the franchise on Tuesday that a league investigation found that Ross had at least hinted at prioritizing draft picks over a winning streak in 2019, and that he had unauthorized frequent contact with both Tom Brady and Sean Payton while trying to recruit big names for him. Team. As a result, Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended until October 17, while Dolphin must lose his 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick for “violating the integrity of the game.”

The NFL investigation found that Dolphins did not intentionally lose games in 2019, when the team finished 5-11, and could not support Flores’ high-profile claim that Ross offered him $100,000 for each loss that season: “(There are) various memories about the wording, timing and context: (For note.) Whatever the wording, this comment was not intended or considered a serious offer, nor was the matter pursued in any way by Mr. Ross or anyone else at the club.” However, he maintains, Ross has repeatedly suggested to Flores, team boss Tom Garfinkel and general manager Chris Greer that the 2020 draft positioning should trump a better overall win for 2019. Goodell wrote that Ross’ comments “even if it’s a joke… holds With it, a potentially unnecessary risk.”

More than the tank allegations, the NFL in its ruling issued Tuesday comments on Dolphin’s contact with Brady and Peyton, citing “manipulation violations of unprecedented scope and severity.” The investigation, led by former US attorney Mary Jo White, found that Ross and Dolphin had “unauthorized contacts” with Brady on two different occasions – the first in 2019, early in August of that season, while quarterback played for the opponent. patriots; And again during and after the 2021 season, before Brady retires, and later returns to pirate. The investigation found that “those discussions … focused on Brady becoming a Dolphins limited partner and possibly serving as a football executive, although at times they included the possibility of him playing with the Dolphins.”

An NFL investigation revealed that Ross and the Dolphins also illegally contacted Don Yi, Payton’s agent, last January. saints The coach was still working in New Orleans: “Miami did not seek New Orleans’ approval for these discussions, which occurred before Coach Payton announced his decision to retire as the Saints’ head coach,” the NFL said. “Following this announcement, Miami requested permission to speak to Coach Payton for the first time, which New Orleans refused.”

While serving his suspension, Ross is not permitted to be at the Dolphins facility or represent the club at any NFL team or event. He is also prohibited from attending any league meetings prior to the NFL owners’ annual meeting in 2023, or any league committee communications. Bruce Bell, Dolphins’ vice president, was also banned from attending any league meetings for the remainder of the 2022 season, and fined $500,000.

Ross since then He issued his own statement Regarding the sentence, he downplayed the tampering charges while celebrating the victory over Flores’ tank allegations: “The independent investigation has acquitted our organization of any tank issues and all of Brian Flores’ other allegations. As I’ve said all along, these allegations were false, malicious and defamatory, and these The issue is now cleared. As for manipulation, I strongly disagree with the conclusions and the penalties. However, I will accept the result because the most important thing is that there is nothing to distract our team as we start an exciting and winning season. I will not allow anything to stand in the way of that” .