With Jonathan Martin now at the center of a disturbing NFL bullying scandal, Stanford University football used Twitter to broadcast a strong show of support for its former player.
Martin, shown above, has accused Miami Dolphins teammate Richie Incognito of excessive harassment and left the team for at least the time being. He reportedly checked himself into a local hospital for mental distress. Incognito has been suspended indefinitely, and the entire episode has shed an ugly light on the dark side of the NFL's macho culture. Incognito's harassment of Martin allegedly included explicit, threatening text messages.
See also: Ugly NFL Bullying Scandal Leaves Disturbing Digital Trail
Incognito's behavior has triggered outrage among sports fans as well as humans in general — and rightfully so, if the reported actions are, in fact, true. Others, including some players, have criticized Martin for essentially being a tattle-tale by bringing his problems into the public eye. But Stanford, where Martin played from 2009 until 2012, left no doubt about its stance on the issue:
"We're proud of Jonathan." - @CoachDavidShaw "We win games b/c of our locker room." RT for @J_Martin71. #gostanford pic.twitter.com/SYseUJwajC
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) November 6, 2013
The photo attached shows Martin leading Stanford onto the field alongside head coach David Shaw. For Stanford, the post is a nice way to back up its former player during a tough stretch.
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Image: Joel Auerbach/Getty Images