The Miami Dolphins have fired two members of the team staff on the basis of the Ted Wells report on the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin situation. The Dolphins have fired offensive line coach Jim Turner, and head trainer Kevin O’Neill.
“The language and behavior as described in the Ted Wells report are against the core values of our organization,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement announcing the termination of Turner and head trainer Kevin O’Neill. “After receiving the report, I conducted my own internal review of the facts to determine the appropriate steps for our organization. Jim Turner and Kevin O’Neill are good people who care a great deal about their profession and the players whom they serve, but both exhibited poor judgment at times which led me to this conclusion. As owner, I know firsthand of the high-character and dedicated professionals in our building. I believe in our team and know the hard work and sacrifices they make every day on the field and in the community.”
The firing came just five days after the release of the Wells report, which concluded that Turner:
- participated in the harassment of former Dolphins lineman Andrew McDonald;
- was less than truthful with investigators on multiple occasions;
- hid the harassment from coach Joe Philbin
- tried to convince Jonathan Martin into exonerating Richie Incognito by sending Martin a text message telling him to “DO THE RIGHT THING.”
Turner had been with the Dolphins for two years.
The report is also damning towards O’Neill who is said to:
- Stood by while players hurled racial insults at an assistant trainer, even laughing on some occassions
- was not co-operative with the investigation.
“O’Neill, the head trainer, not only overheard the racist insults, but also sometimes laughed along and never intervened. We did not cover this specific topic in our interview with O’Neill, which was cut short because O’Neill expressed hostility toward our investigation,” the report says.
These are probably just the first of many changes that will occur in the Dolphins offices due to the Incognito/Martin situation.
O’Neill was originally hired by Jimmy Johnson, and had been with the Dolphins for 18 years. He also worked with Johnson in Dallas.
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