The major names in the Dolphins’ tampering scandal, from Tom Brady to Bruce Beal
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Dolphin Dilemma
The NFL announced the Dolphins will forfeit two draft picks, and team owner Stephen Ross is suspended through Oct. 17 as a result of the league’s investigation into the team’s violation of the integrity of the game in its pursuit of Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
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The Dolphins’ tampering scandal was mainly orchestrated by Dolphins team owner Stephen Ross and vice chairman Bruce Beal, the NFL concluded Tuesday after a six-month investigation of the team.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said the “impermissible communications,” which include three separate instances spanning multiple years, were of “unprecedented scope and severity,” a pursuit of two of the biggest names in the sport.
Here are the major names involved in the probe, which resulted in the loss of two draft picks for the Dolphins and suspensions for Ross and Beal.
Tom Brady
The Dolphins had prohibited communication with Brady as a member of the New England Patriots as early as August 2019, the league’s investigation found, and it continued through the regular season and postseason. Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 offseason, and the NFL’s investigation concluded that further communications with Brady and his agent continued after the 2021 season. These conversations surrounded Brady joining the Dolphins as a limited partner or executive and “also included the possibility of his playing for the Dolphins.”
Brady, who turns 45 on Wednesday, retired in February but in March announced he was returning to Tampa Bay for his 23rd NFL season. In May, FOX announced Brady will become its lead NFL game analyst whenever he retires. An NFL spokesperson said Brady will not be subject to discipline.
“I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people, I’ve had for the last three or four years of my career, about different opportunities when I’m done playing football, so, I kind of made a decision of what I’d like to do, and I’ll get to be in the game of football,” Brady told reporters in June. “For me, the most important thing is where I’m at now and what I hope to do for this team. That’s been my commitment to this team and this organization. It’s been so much fun for me to come here two years ago. It’s been almost 2 1/2 now and it’s been an incredible part of my football journey. And it’s not over.”
Stephen Ross
The Dolphins team owner was one of the “active participants” in the 2021 discussions between Brady and his agent, the league’s investigation found. Ross, 82, has been suspended through Oct. 17 and fined $1.5 million.
The league’s investigation also concluded that Ross did not instruct former coach Brian Flores to lose games during the 2019 season. The NFL found that any mention of offering $100,000 per loss in 2019, which Flores alleges in a lawsuit, was not intended to be a serious offer.
In a statement, Ross said he “strongly disagree[s] with the conclusions and the punishment” for tampering but will accept the outcome.
Sean Payton
The Dolphins had prohibited communications in January with Payton and his agent, Don Yee, about Payton becoming the team’s next head coach, the league’s investigation found. The team did not seek consent from the New Orleans Saints before these talks, the NFL said, and they occurred before Payton announced his retirement in February. The Dolphins later asked the Saints for permission to speak with Payton, 58, and New Orleans declined.
A source told the Miami Herald earlier this month that the Dolphins are among the teams that would interest Payton, who led the Saints to a win in Super Bowl 44 in the 2009-10 season. Payton will not be subject to discipline, a league spokesperson said.
Bruce Beal
Beal, the team’s vice chairman, has the contractual right of first refusal to purchase the team and is expected to do so. A 52-year-old Harvard graduate, Beal is friends with Brady and conducted the discussions between Brady throughout the 2019 season, the league’s investigation found. Beal was also an active participant in the 2021 talks with Brady and his agent, the investigation concluded. Beal has been fined $500,000 and is suspended from all league meetings for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Brian Flores
Flores was head coach of the Dolphins for three seasons. Fired the day after the 2021 regular season concluded, Flores filed a lawsuit in February accusing the NFL and multiple teams, including the Dolphins, of racial discrimination. Flores also alleged Ross offered $100,000 per loss during the 2019 season and attempted to initiate prohibited contact with a “prominent quarterback,” later determined to be Brady.
In response to Flores’ accusations, Goodell in February announced the league would investigate the claims. Flores, who has since been hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a defensive assistant, released a statement Tuesday, saying he was “thankful that the NFL’s investigator found my factual allegations against Stephen Ross are true ... At the same time, I am disappointed to learn that the investigator minimized Mr. Ross’s offers and pressure to tank games especially when I wrote and submitted a letter at the time to Dolphins executives documenting my serious concerns regarding this subject at the time which the investigator has in her possession.”
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 3:52 PM.
