Jonathan Martin the offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, missed last nights game with the Cincinnati Bengals , for what was originally excused as an illness but it seems it might not be an illness as one might commonly think an NFL player might miss a high profile game for.
The Palm Beach Post's Andrew Abramson reported that the three hundred pound tackle , left for other reasons, namely a reaction to a prank teammates played on him in the locker room. Now reports have begun to come in from Fox Sports and ESPN that Martin was a victim of the teams abusive environment and after having tolerated it for a year-and-a-half, he was leaving the team to spend time with his family. It was also reported that he had been receiving medical help for emotional issues.
His team mates have denied the bullying saying that it was not anything that did not go on in other locker rooms. Leaving it open to the question, just because hazing happens in other NFL locker rooms it means it is then o.k for the to haze and bully in the privacy of their own locker room?
The teasing however did not occur in the showers, but at lunch when Martin went to sit down to eat with a group of players they all got up and left. While not the type of behavior one would think builds a team like atmosphere,it is hardly abuse. Other eye witnesses claimed the team mates jokingly said to Martin that they did want to sit with him and Martin "flipped out" by smashing his food tray on the ground and storming off.
If either report paints an accurate picture , then it would stand to reason the Dolphins need a therapist on staff, if the players can not resolve tension between them in a less high school manner. It also brings up the question ...are professional athletes in a state of arrested emotional development, because their careers are launched from their glory days of playing sports in college.
It sounds like the fellow teammates are aware Martin has issues, such as depression that when turned inward becomes aggression or even anger management issues combined with low self esteem, the team mates see they can get a reaction to this and find it entertaining which would be just as childish of them as the three hundred pound man's temper tantrum.
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