Richie Incognito Comments on Tom Brady, Roger Goodell and NFL Appeal Process

Controversy has followed Richie Incognito for his entire NFL career, most of it through his own doing. The Buffalo Bills have given the 32-year-old another shot, but he's still looking back at his past and how it's shaping his future. 

In a wide-ranging interview with Bob Glauber of Newsday, Incognito didn't hold back his thoughts on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, focusing on the Ted Wells investigation he was subjected to after the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal when he was with the Miami Dolphins in 2013.

In February 2014, Wells released a 144-page report stating Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey engaged in a "pattern of harassment" directed toward Martin, another Dolphins offensive lineman and an assistant trainer. 

"Ted Wells came in with a mission against me," Incognito said. "Ted Wells came in slanted against me, and everything in his report was slanted against me. There were some things...that would have helped my cause that were left out."

Incognito added there was testimony from teammates that got left out of Wells' report, saying the NFL is doing the same thing to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. 

"You see that in Brady's case," Incognito said. "There's a lot of stuff that got left out. There's a lot of misinformation."

Incognito also addressed how Goodell handles player discipline:

"

I think...Roger, with so much power, just keeps fumbling over independent investigations and making everything public. I think it just needs to be a more concise system. Roger can't be the judge, jury and executioner on this thing. I understand league discipline. You have to get after guys who are being dumb. But you can't appeal back to the person who handed down your punishment. You have to get a little power out of [Goodell's] hands and get [an independent arbitrator] to take a look at it.

"

On the subject of Goodell's ability to play judge and jury, NFL Players Association President Eric Winston recently told Mark Maske of the Washington Post that the union will look to address it in the next collective bargaining negotiations. 

Incognito did compliment Goodell for taking steps to make the game safer and protect players from injuries. 

Incognito, who sat out the 2014 season, is in his second stint with the Bills. He's no stranger to generating controversy, having been benched and then released by the St. Louis Rams in 2009 after headbutting two Tennessee Titans during a game. 

Talented players will always get multiple chances, and Incognito isn't going to shy away from speaking out about what he believes, as evidenced by his comments to Glauber.