Miami lost its 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick in the 2022 offseason as punishment for tampering related to attempts to acquire Tom Brady and Sean Payton. The league’s investigation found “tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity.” Team owner Stephen Ross was suspended through Oct. 17, which means he will likely be back at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday for the team’s game vs. the Steelers.
Brady and Payton both retired last offseason, with the former coming out of retirement shortly thereafter. Payton is working as an analyst for Fox, but it has been heavily speculated that his exit from coaching is closer to a leave of absence than a full retirement.
Ross and the Dolphins deny any wrongdoing.
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Why did the Dolphins lose a 2023 first-round draft pick?
The Dolphins lost two draft picks as punishment for having “impermissible communications” with Brady and Payton.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was pointed in his comments about Ross and the Dolphins.
As for the actual allegations, they date as far back as 2019.
In this excerpt, Goodell is referring to Dolphins vice chairman Bruce Beal.
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In 2021, talks shifted to Brady becoming an executive with Miami, with playing not off the table.
The Dolphins allegedly talked to Payton without permission from the Saints, with whom he is still under contract.
What is the Dolphins’ 2022 record heading into Week 7?
After a 3-0 start, the Dolphins have been met with a lot of adversity. Tua Tagovailoa has been out since suffering with a scary-looking concussion on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4, and they have lost their last three games to fall to 3-3. Tagovailoa is expected to return Sunday against the Steelers.
The Dolphins came into the week third in the AFC East behind the Bills and the upstart Jets.
While the 3-0 start bodes well for Miami, particularly with Tagovailoa returning, they’re playing for something else this year. Forfeiting a top-10 pick would hurt far more than forfeiting a pick in the 20s or 30s.
