The NFL has stripped the Miami Dolphins of two draft picks, including their 2023 first-round selection, and suspended owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5 million as a result of its investigation of allegations levied by former coach Brian Flores.
In addition to the first round pick, the Dolphins also will forfeit their 2024 third-round selection.
Ross, meanwhile is suspended through Oct. 17, during which time he isn’t permitted to be at the Dolphins’ facility or represent the team at any team event. He also can’t attend any league meeting before the annual meeting in 2023.
Dolphins vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal was fined $500,000 and isn’t permitted to attend any league meeting for the rest of the 2022 season.
In his lawsuit against the NFL and several teams alleging racial discrimination in the hiring practices for head coaches, Flores alleged that Ross offered him $100,000 to lose games in 2019, his first season with the club, and tampered with individuals under contract (Tom Brady and Sean Payton)
The NFL said it found that the Dolphins had “impermissible communications” with Brady in 2019-20 when he was under contract with the New England Patriots and again in 2021, when he was under contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.