Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
New England Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick did not have a lot to say Wednesday when requested concerning the Miami Dolphins getting punished by the NFL on Tuesday for tampering.
When reporters requested Belichick concerning the state of affairs, he responded: “I am centered on coaching camp. That is all previously.”
Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, the NFL introduced Tuesday that it had stripped the Dolphins of their 2023 first-round choose and 2024 third-round choose, along with suspending proprietor Stephen Ross via Oct. 17 and fining him $1.5 million.
The punishment was the results of an investigation that discovered the Dolphins tampered with then-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and then-New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton whereas they have been nonetheless below contract with different groups.
As a part of the investigation, it was decided that the Dolphins illegally made contact with Brady and Payton’s agent at numerous instances from 2019 to 2022.
Ross and Dolphins vice chairman Bruce Beal have been discovered to have had impermissible conversations with Brady and agent Don Yee, who represented each Brady and Payton.
The talks with Brady started whereas he was nonetheless with the Patriots and centered on him doubtlessly signing with the Dolphins as a free agent previous to the 2020 season.
Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a substitute and led them to a Tremendous Bowl win in his first marketing campaign with the crew, however the Dolphins did not cease there. They reportedly contacted him after the 2021 season to see if he could be all in favour of turning into a restricted companion or govt, though the potential for him enjoying for the crew was mentioned as nicely.
Whereas Brady retired for a couple of month this offseason, he was nonetheless below contract with the Bucs when the talks occurred, and he in the end determined to return to play for them in 2022.
The contact with Yee relating to Payton reportedly occurred in January whereas Payton was nonetheless below contract with the Saints. Payton would retire later that month, however Miami’s makes an attempt to see if he could be all in favour of teaching the Dolphins got here when he was nonetheless a member of the Saints group.
Brady, who’s a seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion and arguably the best quarterback and participant no matter place in NFL historical past, skilled nice success towards Miami throughout his time in New England.
He dominated the AFC East as a complete all through his Patriots tenure and owns a profession file of 24-12 towards the Dolphins.
Even at 45 years of age, Brady makes the Buccaneers a robust Tremendous Bowl contender along with his mere presence.
In the meantime, the Dolphins are dedicated to Tua Tagovailoa as their beginning quarterback once more this season, whereas Belichick and the Patriots have moved on to 2021 No. 15 total draft choose Mac Jones below middle.
After lacking the playoffs of their first season with out Brady, the Pats returned to postseason play in 2021, however they’re chasing the Buffalo Payments, who’ve gained back-to-back AFC East titles.
Miami is chasing Buffalo as nicely, and it’s doable that it has closed the hole this offseason due to its many notable additions, together with former Kansas Metropolis Chiefs broad receiver Tyreek Hill.
