Miami Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin reportedly wants to play for another NFL team. A meeting between the Dolphins and Martin's agents included coach Joe Philbin accusing the agents of turning the bullying allegations into a national controversy, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports.
Representatives for the Dolphins met with Martin's agents during the NFL combine and discussed Martin returning to the team. While Miami expressed a willingness to have Martin return, the agents reportedly dismissed the possibility of Martin rejoining the Dolphins.
Per La Canfora:
"The agents for Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin met with Dolphins (vice president) of football operations Dawn Aponte, new (general manager) Dennis Hickey and coach Joe Philbin at the combine to discuss Martin's future with the club, sources said, at which time it was conveyed to the team that Martin was not comfortable returning.
"Hickey expressed the desire for the team to keep him. Martin, a starting tackle for them prior to him leaving the team amid behavior that now has the Dolphins poised for penalties from the Wells Report remains under contract at modest sums as part of his rookie compensation. But given all the turmoil, Martin's advisors believe it best if he continue his career elsewhere and he has no intentions of playing there."
Philbin, who was in "listening mode" during the meeting, did reportedly make it known who he blamed for stirring up the situation and turning it into a media circus.
"Hickey did most of the talking from Miami's side, according to sources, with Philbin 'staring daggers' across the room," La Canfora wrote. "At the end of the meeting, however, sources said Philbin expressed his belief that Martin's agents were responsible for Miami's locker room controversy reaching this point, that they were the real problem and alluding that Martin's concerns could have been kept more private and handled differently."
Philbin isn't the first to point fingers at Martin's agents. Text messages purportedly exchanged between Martin and Richie Incognito, the Dolphins teammate at the center of the alleged harassment, indicate Martin's agents played a large role in the controversy.
Martin doesn't become a free agent until 2016. Read the Ted Wells report HERE.
UPDATE (2/25/14): La Canfora tweeted a response to his report from Rick Smith, an agent for Martin.
"Jonathan Martin's agents issued a statement in response to my story on their meeting with the Dolphins, saying what I wrote was not true," La Canfora tweeted on Tuesday. "The statement from Rick Smith, Martin's agent: 'We have no idea where you got this information, but it wasn't even close.'
"Smith also added: 'We'd appreciate it if everyone backed off and allowed the process to happen organically.'"
