BREAKING: Miami Dolphins Stripped Of Draft Picks, Owner Stephen Ross Suspended For Alleged Tampering

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Aug 2, 2022

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In February, former head coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit against the Miami Dolphins organization and the National Football League. Flores alleged in the suit that owner Stephen Ross attempted to incentivize him to purposefully lose games shortly after being hired in 2019. Flores also claimed that Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss that year, but became angry at the success the team was having on the field due to wanting a better draft position for the 2020 NFL Draft.

After a six month investigation, the NFL has notified the Miami Dolphins franchise that they would be stripped of their 2023 1st-round pick, 2024 3rd-round pick, and owner Stephen Ross is not only fined $1.5 million but also suspended through October 17th. Ross also cannot attend any league meeting before the annual meetings in 2023. Dolphins vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal was fined $500,000 and isn’t permitted to attend any league meeting for the rest of the 2022 season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted the notice and penalties the National Football League is serving the Dolphins for Integrity-Of-The-Game Violations. In regards to tampering, the Dolphins allegedly had impermissible communications with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his agent after the 2021 season, and agent Don Yee in January 2022. Yee is the agent of former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Payton announced his retirement from coaching the Saints shortly after the conclusion of the 2021 season.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement regarding the investigation, calling the findings “unprecedented”.

“The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity. I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition on tampering with both a head coach and star player, to the potential detriment of multiple other clubs, over a period of several years. Similarly, I know of no prior instance in which ownership was so directly involved in the violations.”

ESPN has more HERE.