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NFL levels heavy sanctions on Miami Dolphins over tampering claims, suspends owner Stephen Ross
By Michael Daly
Published:
The NFL took away the Miami Dolphins’ first-round pick in 2023 and the third-round pick in 2024 for violating the integrity of the game.
In addition to stripping draft picks from the Dolphins, owner Stephen Ross was suspended through Oct. 17 and was fined $1.5 million. The violations stemmed from tampering that took place in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The Dolphins attempted to bring in Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady as early as August 2019.
NFL stripped the Dolphins of their 2023 first-round draft pick and 2024 third-round pick for violating the integrity of the game.
Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross also suspended through Oct. 17 and fined $1.5 million.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 2, 2022
When the Dolphins spoke to Brady, he was under contract with the New England Patriots, which was not allowed. The Dolphins continued to contract Brady while he was with the Patriots and the contact continued when Brady joined the Buccaneers.
In December 2021, the Dolphins contacted Brady and his representation about joining the franchise as a football executive and kept the door open to Brady playing for the Dolphins. These conversations happened while Brady remained under contract with the Buccaneers.
Here is the notice and penalties the NFL is imposing on the Dolphins for Integrity-Of-The-Game Violations: pic.twitter.com/Qk8KNaALyN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 2, 2022
The NFL included wrongful communications in the notice that the Dolphins had with former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton’s representatives about being their head coach in 2022. Payton left the Saints after the 2021 season.
Ross will not be allowed to represent the Dolphins at NFL meetings and he will not be able to attend the Dolphins’ facility while he is suspended. Ross graduated from Michigan and remains a key donor to the program.