Ted Wells' incendiary report on the Miami Dolphins' workplace appears to have claimed its first victims.
NFL Media's Jeff Darlington reported Wednesday that the Dolphins have fired longtime trainer Kevin O'Neill, a source confirmed. ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported the dismissal. Offensive line coach Jim Turner was dismissed later in the day, the team announced.
O'Neill was cited in the report on Wells' independent investigation, which found that the longtime trainer did not act when Dolphins players behaved inappropriately toward an assistant trainer on the team.
"With respect to the Assistant Trainer, (Jonathan) Martin and other players claimed that O'Neill, the head trainer, not only overheard the racist insults, but also sometimes laughed along and never intervened," the report read. "We did not cover this specific topic in our interview with O'Neill, which was cut short because O'Neill expressed hostility toward our investigation."
NFL Media's Albert Breer reported on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" that O'Neill was fired after landing with the team in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. Breer said the move sent "shockwaves" through the Dolphins' organization because O'Neill is such a respected figure.
O'Neill was dismissed eight months after being named the recipient of the prestigious Tim Kerin Award for Excellence in Athletic Training. He is just the fifth NFL trainer to claim the honor. He had been employed by the Dolphins for the last 18 seasons.
O'Neill is likely just the first domino to fall here. Up next might be offensive line coach Jim Turner, who did not travel with the team to the combine Wednesday. Turner was also cited for inappropriate conduct in Wells' report.
On the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys speculate on big names who could be cut, then talk offseason forecasts for the Packers and Raiders.
