Dolphins stripped of 2023 first-round pick, owner suspended for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is banned from taking part in team activities until mid-October, has been fined over a million dollars and cost his franchise two future draft picks after an investigation by the NFL found evidence of the team tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and retired head coach Sean Payton.

On Tuesday, the league announced its findings from a six-month-long investigation into the organization that found violations of NFL policies relating to the integrity of the game. The purpose of the inquiry, led by former U.S. attorney Mary Jo White, was created to look into allegations that the team had conversations with Brady and Payton while they were still under contract to other teams. It also explored the team purposefully trying to lose games at the end of the 2019 season in an attempt to improve their 2020 NFL draft position, a claim made by former head coach Brian Flores.

The investigation found “conclusive” evidence that a representative for the team violated league policies by having impermissible conversations with Brady in 2019, while he was a member of the New England Patriots, and then again in 2021 while he was contracted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The conversations last year focused on the NFL legend becoming a limited partner with the team and even the possibility of playing for the Dolphins.

The investigation also found that the team had an improper conversation with the agent of Sean Payton about being their next head coach, but did not get consent first from the New Orleans Saints following his retirement from the team.