If I never had to write about Richie Incognito ever again, it would be too soon. The first time I was tasked with filling a white space with words about this meat-head was back in 2013 when his habits were widely publicized in light of the then-controversy regarding his treatment of former teammate Johnathan Martin.
People were actually calling for his job back then, and even more folks came for him after an allegation of sexual assault was levied against him. That one went away too. But when is enough going to be enough as far as what type of people owners and GMs are willing to put up with in pursuit of wins?
Days ago, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue accused Incognito of using racial slurs during the AFC Wild Card playoff game. Offensive linemen are infamous for saying or doing just about anything you can imagine to get into the heads of opposing defenders, and vice versa. Genital punches, grabs, holds, eye-gauging, spitting, and much more are incorporated to get an advantage.
YANNICK NGAKOUE! on Twitter
Great win to day! And 64, you goin have to come harder than some weak racist slurs. I’m proud of my African heritage, as are 70% of the other Black players in this league. #Iaintjonathanmartin!
So, its not beyond imagination that Incognito would have used racial slurs against Ngakoue. The Jacksonville defensive end double-downed after the fact, reassuring news outlets of the sincerity of his claim just hours after Jacksonville defeated Buffalo.
“Stuff’s not going to bother you, but somebody says something about your ethnicity, that’s really kind of taking it a little bit too far,” said Ngakoue
“There was definitely an exchange,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said Tuesday during the teams’ end-of-season news conference. “I think there’s a misunderstanding of what was said.”
Beane said Incognito has attempted to contact Ngakoue about the exchange. The team has also been in contact with the NFL about Ngakoue’s accusation, which he tweeted hours after the Jaguars defeated the Bills 10-3.
“From what I understand, it was a little bit of on-the-field stuff, back and forth,” Beane said, adding that the team is still gathering facts about what happened.
Ngakoue said on Monday that it happened after a running play, but he could not recall whether Incognito used the N-word.
“No, I don’t remember, but, you know, he said what he said,” Ngakoue said. “He knows what he said. I don’t gotta repeat it.”
Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell said Monday it seemed like Bills players were deliberately trying to antagonize Jaguars players during the game.
“I think they were really trying to get us to lose our cool and try to get penalties,” Campbell said. “There were a lot of guys talking as if it was coached to get us to lose our cool, so we can get a 15-yard penalty. I think that’s something we’re going to have to deal with because we’ve shown we can be a little too aggressive at times.”
Asked about Campbell’s comment, Bills coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday, “They won the game. The whole situation to me is very unfortunate, and I’ll just leave it at that.”
In the past, Incognito has been described as a dirty player by opponents, but former Miami Dolphins teammates Cameron Wake and Brian Hartline went so far as to calling him an honorary black man at the height of that whole Johnathan Martin situation.
It wasnt just Cameron Wake that sided with Incognito, but virtually the entire Miami Dolphins franchise. Some even suggested that Martin should have gotten violent with Incognito, but where would that have led? A hospital? A jail? A morgue?
People are so ignorant in their reactionary reaches and short-sighted assertions.
Now, once again, Incognitos name is all up in peoples mouths because of his ignoramus nature.
This quote was gleaned from a prior article I had written regarding Incognitos transgressions, and those black players that are cool with allowing him use the N-word in their presence. The same can be said for any Buffalo player that thought it was a good idea for him to say it.
Pablo S. Torre on Twitter
If you’re gonna discuss the question of whether Richie Incognito used racist language while playing the Jaguars, maybe consider mentioning this: https://t.co/ytZA4bKUD6
“The African American players aware that the white players were using this word should be ashamed of themselves, said ESPN analyst Desmond Howard at the time. What level of coonery is going on in the Miami Dolphins locker room that they would say that? It makes absolutely no sense.”
Indeed, what kind of genetic coonery would allow a black man in America to allow a white man, any white man, to say the things Incognito is accused of saying? A man who has been lulled into believing it doesnt matter. And, apparently, that man is your average black NFL player. The concerning part is where some brothers would rather have him on their rosters than someone like Colin Kaepernick.
Damn.
The fact that Incognito was backed by black men in Miami also tells me others in Buffalo believe his behavior is okay. A grotesque absence of leadership is evident in this entire situation.
