Adam Schefter of ESPN is well-known as a leading NFL insider; however, his reporting accuracy has faced scrutiny on multiple occasions, with the latest instance occurring on Sunday night. Most fans recall four-time Pro Bowler Richie Incognito primarily for the notorious “Bullygate” scandal involving his former Miami Dolphins teammate, Jonathan Martin. In 2013, numerous high-profile outlets, including ESPN and Fox Sports, reported that Martin endured “a pattern of harassment” from several offensive line teammates. This situation was thoroughly documented in a 144-page report authored by Ted Wells, a lawyer hired by the NFL.
The coverage of the reports led to Incognito receiving an indefinite suspension from the Dolphins for “conduct detrimental to the team,” causing him to miss the last eight games of the 2013 season, while Martin never played for the franchise again. Despite being known as a controversial player during his career, Incognito took a break from football in 2018 before joining the Oakland Raiders in 2019 and playing until 2021. Recently, in an interview with ESPN’s Anthony Olivieri, Martin addressed the alleged bullying episode, stating that he “never believed for a second” he was bullied by Incognito or any teammates.
“I never believed for a second I was being bullied,” Martin asserted. “It’s a story that I’ve been trying to fix for 10 years.” This revelation prompted Incognito, who has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the years, to accuse ESPN, Schefter, and other “legacy media” outlets of propagating a narrative crafted by Martin’s mother.
“He couldn’t cut it in the NFL so he quit and his mom blamed me,” Incognito expressed in a post on X. “Legacy media pushed this narrative long and far. Too bad it was all a lie! They lied to protect his money. He quit… the team had every right to claw back that money. His mom started the bullying narrative with ESPN and Adam Schefter so that the Miami Dolphins wouldn’t go after his signing bonus.”
He couldn’t cut it in the NFL so he quit and his mom blamed me. Legacy media pushed this narrative long and far. Too bad it was all a lie! They lied to protect his money. He quit… the team had every right to claw back that money. His mom started the bullying narrative with @espn… https://t.co/ifFFJPG1H7
— Richie Incognito (@68INCOGNITO) February 16, 2025
While it’s essential to note that Schefter was not the sole insider reporting on the scandal at that time, Incognito has not hesitated in attacking him. Responding to Schefter’s excerpt from Olivieri’s report on his X account, Incognito pointed out the negative impact of Schefter’s coverage on his life.
“Notable excerpt?! You tried to ruin my life over this bull****,” Incognito remarked.
Notable excerpt?! You tried to ruin my life over this bullshit @AdamSchefter
— Richie Incognito (@68INCOGNITO) February 16, 2025
Moreover, Incognito did not only target Schefter; he called out Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk regarding his reporting on the matter back then. “Care to comment Mike Florio?” Incognito queried in another post.
Great question! Care to comment Mike Florio? @ProFootballTalk https://t.co/BjU3oLIjFu
— Richie Incognito (@68INCOGNITO) February 16, 2025
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Incognito’s criticisms extend back to 2013 when he openly challenged ESPN, Fox Sports, Pro Football Talk, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports in a bid to clear his name. As Martin’s recent admissions about the non-existence of bullying claims gain attention, it remains to be seen how this affects the narrative in the media. Incognito could potentially seek legal action now that Martin has denied the bullying claims, possibly re-establishing his reputation after years of public scrutiny.
