The agent for Andrew McDonald, a former Miami Dolphins lineman who is identified as “Player A” in the investigation of the racially charged bullying scandal, said Saturday that his client is “disappointed his name has become associated with this story.”
An NFL-ordered report, released Friday by lawyer Ted Wells on allegations by Jonathan Martin that he was harassed by teammate Richie Incognito, said that Dolphins offensive line coach Jim Turner didn’t attempt to stop the behavior and even took part in some of the taunting of “Player A.”
Brett Tessler said in a statement to The Associated Press that his client has “been a member of another organization since last season and is trying to focus on his future. When Ted Wells approached Andrew at the end of the investigation, Mr. Wells already had all the information contained in the report that he had gotten elsewhere.
“While Andrew can’t speak for other players involved in the report, he personally has had no problem with the Miami Dolphins organization and has the highest opinion of Coach Turner both personally and professionally and feels terrible about the way their relationship has been portrayed in the report.”
McDonald, 25, is currently with the Carolina Panthers.
Several people interviewed told investigators that Turner gave Player A, a male sex doll as a gag gift around Christmas 2012. Turner told investigators he did not remember the incident, but investigators said they did not believe him.
When asked if McDonald felt he was bullied or harassed, Tessler said the statement speaks for itself.
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound McDonald was an undrafted rookie out of Indiana who spent two seasons on the Dolphins practice squad before being released in final cuts last August. He signed with Carolina’s practice squad in October and recently signed a “futures contract” with the Panthers.