Martin tells of suicide attempt
Lineman who was key figure in NFL bullying episode details his personal struggle.
Former NFL lineman Jonathan Martin, a 2008 graduate of Harvard-Westlake High and part of the 2013 NFL bullying scandal involving Miami Dolphins teammate Richie Incognito, put forth an emotional, revealing post on Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday detailing his struggles in football and in life.
He said he attempted suicide during his NFL career. He also expressed being uncomfortable as “one of just a handful of minorities in elite private schools.” He played college football for Stanford.
“You learn to tone down your size & blackness by becoming shy, introverted, friendly, so you won’t scare the little rich white kids or their parents,” he wrote. “Neither black nor white people accept you because they don’t understand you. It takes away from your selfconfidence, your self-worth, your sanity.”
Harvard-Westlake officials said they were unaware of Martin’s feelings.
“Obviously his childhood was a difficult time,” said Terry Barnum, HarvardWestlake’s head of athletics. “We supported him and support him now. We are always looking for ways to be more inclusive and more diverse. That is a foundational principle of our school.”
A second-round draft pick, Martin played for the Dolphins in 2012 and 2013, and was traded to the San Francisco 49ers before last season. After being waived in March, he signed with the Carolina Panthers but retired in July, citing a back injury that would have made him miss the 2015 campaign.
Martin was elected to Harvard-Westlake’s sports Hall of Fame in 2014. Because he had been playing in the NFL until his recent retirement, his induction ceremony had not been scheduled.
Barnum said Martin’s honesty will help HarvardWestlake move forward.
“It gives us an opportunity to look inward and look for ways to make our community more inclusive so that kids in the future feel included and welcomed,” he said.