The release of the Ted Wells report was not accompanied by any sort of announcement or recommendation regarding discipline for those found to have harassed Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin and others.
For Richie Incognito, John Jerry, and Mike Pouncey, the verdict will come at a date to be determined.
“Our office has received the report of independent counsel Ted Wells, which sets forth the findings of his investigation into the workplace environment at the Miami Dolphins,” the NFL said in a statement released Friday morning. “Consistent with our commitment at the outset of this matter, the full report has been transmitted to our clubs and has been made public. We appreciate the work of Ted Wells and his colleagues and the cooperation of the Miami Dolphins organization in the investigation. After we have had an opportunity to review the report, we will have further comment as appropriate.”
Those comments surely will include whether and to what extent the parties deemed responsible will be penalized. The players will have rights under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for any punishment, which presumably would be imposed under the Personal Conduct Policy.
So this is hardly the end of the process. In many ways, it’s just getting started.