NFL suspends Dolphins owner for tampering with Tom Brady, Sean Payton, 2023 first-rounder removed from team

After the previous six months Dolphins Coach Brian Flores blamed team owner Stephen Rose Essentially bribing him to lose games For a better draft position, the NFL temporarily removed both Ross and the premium draft picks from Miami. NFL Media Reports. Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday found that Rose prioritized draft picks over winning record in 2019 during a league hearing with the franchise, and that he had repeated unauthorized contact with both Tom Brady and Sean Payton while trying to recruit big names. Team. As a result, Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended until Oct. 17, while the Dolphins must forfeit their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick for “violating the integrity of the game.”

An NFL investigation found that the Dolphins did not lose games on purpose in 2019, the team finished 5-11, and could not support Flores’s remarkable claim that Rose was paid $100,000 for each loss that season: “(There’s) different recollections about it. The wording, timing and context (of reference) notwithstanding, Such a comment was not considered or taken as a serious possibility, and neither Mr. Ross nor anyone else at the club pursued the matter in any way.” However, it confirmed Ross’ repeated suggestion to Flores, team president Tom Garfinkel and general manager Chris Grier that the 2020 draft pick should beat the best 2019 hitter. Ross’s comments, Goodell wrote, “even if made in jest … carry with them unnecessary risk.”

More than the dogging allegations, the NFL in its Tuesday ruling cited “violations of unprecedented scale and severity” involving the Dolphins’ contact with Brady and Payton. The investigation, led by former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, found Ross and the Dolphins had “impermissible communications” with Brady on two separate occasions — first in 2019, in early August of that season, when the quarterback played for a rival. Patriots; Again during and after the 2021 season, before Brady retired, then returned Buccaneers. “Those discussions … centered around Brady becoming a limited partner in the Dolphins and serving as a football executive,” the investigation found, “and at times included the possibility of him playing for the Dolphins.”

In an NFL investigation, Rose and the Dolphins also had longtime contact with Payton’s agent, Dan Yee, in January. Saints Coach still employed by New Orleans: “Miami did not receive approval from New Orleans to conduct these discussions, which occurred before Coach Payton announced his decision to retire as head coach of the Saints,” the NFL said. “Following that announcement, Miami requested permission to speak to Coach Payton for the first time, which New Orleans refused to grant.”

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

From Ross issued his own statement Regarding the sentence, while celebrating the victory over Flores’ allegations of tanking, downplaying the vandalism allegations: “An independent investigation cleared our company of any issues related to the tanking and other allegations of Brian Flores being false, malicious and defamatory, and this issue is now closed. Vandalism Regarding, I strongly disagree with the results and punishment, however, the most important thing is that there are no distractions. Our team will start an exciting and successful season. I will not allow any of that.”