Ex-NFL player reportedly in mental health facility after disturbing threat
Former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin has reportedly been checked into a mental health facility after posting disturbing threats on social media, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
It’s the latest development for Martin, whose brief NFL career could best be described as tumultuous.
Drafted in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Martin will probably be best remembered for his off the field issues more so than anything he accomplished on the gridiron.
Martin first came into the national spotlight when he accused several of his Dolphins teammates of bullying and harassing him. Some of the alleged bullies included fellow offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Mike Pouncey.
An NFL investigation into Martin’s allegations concluded that he was the victim of “a pattern of harassment” in “a classic case of bullying.” Martin was eventually traded to the San Francisco 49ers, before getting cut in 2015. He did not play in a game again after getting cut, later retiring due to back issues.
Compounding matters, Martin opened up about suicidal thoughts he had during his football career.
That was really the last time Martin was in the public eye until his recent threats that seemed to target Incognito, Pouncey and the high school he attended in Los Angeles — Harvard-Westlake.
Former Dolphins lineman Jonathan Martin has been taken into custody after posting this on Instagram.
Martin’s post was tagged to mention Mike Pouncey and Richie Incognito, two Dolphins teammates who were accused of bullying him when they all played together. pic.twitter.com/er7wyetwWd
— Brody Logan (@BrodyLogan) February 23, 2018
The threat promptly drew the attention of law enforcement, particularly with the tragic Marjory Stoneman High School shooting taking place so recently.
Martin reportedly had a gun in his immediate possession when he was picked up my police, according to TMZ Sports.
Police claim that any potential threat has been neutralized.
“The investigation is continuing, but rest assured, we believe there is no threat to any school in the (Los Angeles) area,” LAPD spokesman Tony Im told USA Today.
While Martin is reportedly in a mental health facility, it is unclear if he was forced to undergo a mental evaluation via the Baker Act or if he voluntarily checked himself in.
Martin, 28, had reportedly purchased two weapons recently, with one being the weapon displayed in the Instagram post.
Widely viewed as a prototypical NFL tackle, Martin started all 16 games as a Dolphins rookie. Despite that encouraging start, it’s become abundantly clear that other factors have plagued his career.
Neither Incognito nor Pouncey had publicly spoken about the incident at time of publication.
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