The Miami Dolphins were punished by the NFL on Tuesday for their findings during the investigation into claims made by former head coach Brian Flores regarding tampering.
The team was docked two draft picks, the owner was fined $1.5 million and suspended and the vice chairman was fined $500,000 and suspended as well.
Former U.S. attorney and SEC chair Mary Jo White, who led the team’s investigation, found that the Dolphins had been guilty of tampering with both Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton while they were both under contract.
However, they could not substantiate the claims that Flores made regarding tanking during 2019, his first season with the team.
Following the release of the findings, Flores released the following statement, voicing his displeasure:
I am thankful that the NFL’s investigator found my factual allegations against Stephen Ross are true. At the same time, I am disappointed to learn that the investigator minimized Mr. Ross’s offers and pressure to tank games especially when I wrote and submitted a letter at the time to Dolphins executives documenting my serious concerns regarding this subject at the time which the investiagtor has in her possession. While the investigator found that the Dolphins had engaged in imperimissible tampering of “unprecedented scope and severity,” Mr. Ross will avoid any meaningful consequence. There is nothing more important when it comes to the game of football itself than the integrity of the game. When the integrity of the game is called intro question, fans suffer, and football suffers.
Statement from Brian Flores pic.twitter.com/G538eTNOLi
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) August 2, 2022
