Tom Brady, tampering and Dolphins’ superteam dream: Revisiting Miami’s wild idea to pair iconic QB with Sean Payton
Last off-season, the NFL suspended and fined Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
This was in lieu of their investiagtion that they were under for intentionally tanking games during the 2019 season. The Dolphins weren't found guilty of tanking, but under a six-week long investigation, the league found them illegally tampering with Brady and Payton.
The team spoke with Brady and his agent, Don Yee, while the QB was under contract with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team was also caught speaking with Payton about their head coaching vacancy after they were denied permission by the New Orleans Saints.
As a result, the Dolphins were fined $1.5 million and were forced to forefit their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement:
“The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity. I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition on tampering with both a head coach and star player, to the potential detriment of multiple other clubs, over a period of several years. Similarly, I know of no prior instance in which ownership was so directly involved in the violations.”
The tampering certainly came as a huge surprise and was a big story last summer.
If Miami had successfully landed both Brady and Payton, that would have made for a great duo. The Miami-based franchise were aggressive in pursuing Brady, but they were greedy and it came back to them in losing draft picks and money.
Besides Miami Dolphins, who else will be without a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The NFL Draft is a little over a month away as it will begin on Thursday, April 27. Besides the Miami Dolphins, three other teams will be without a first-round pick in this year's draft.
The Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers will all have to wait until at least the second-round for their first selection in this year's draft.
The Rams sent their 2023 first-round pick to the Detroit Lions as part of acquiring quarterback Matthew Stafford.
BREAKING: Lions trading Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff, two first round picks, and a third round pick. (via @RapSheet) https://t.co/5j6U4NiAUd
The Browns sent their first-round pick to the Houston Texans in acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Trade Details:
#Browns get:
• QB Deshaun Watson
• 5th-round pick
#Texans get:
• 3 1st-round picks
• 3rd-round pick
• 4th-round pick
The 49ers used their first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins as part of their move up in the 2021 Draft for Trey Lance.
Miami would have had a first-round pick as they got one from the Denver Broncos in exchange for Bradley Chubb, but they sent it to the New Orleans Saints for head coach Sean Payton.