Jonathan Martin reportedly walks out on Dolphins, seeks counseling

The Dolphins did not reveal how long Jonathan Martin will be away from the team. (Richard C. Lewis/Icon SMI) The Miami Dolphins listed starting tackle

The Dolphins did not reveal how long Jonathan Martin will be away from the team. (Richard C. Lewis/Icon SMI)

The Miami Dolphins listed starting tackle Jonathan Martin as doubtful for Thursday's game with an "illness". That update may be an oversimplification of a rather serious matter.

Jay Glazer reported on "Fox Football Daily" Wednesday that Martin has "gone AWOL" following an incident in the team cafeteria earlier this week. According to Glazer, Martin "flipped out" when teammates pulled a prank on him, then "took off, and they haven't seen him since."

Martin is now "seeking mental counseling," the NFL Network's Jeff Darlington reported. The 23-year-old Martin has not missed a game since Miami selected him in Round 2 of the 2012 draft, but there appears to be almost no chance that he suits up in Week 9 against the Bengals, especially with the team playing on a shortened schedule.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin would not comment on Martin when asked about the lineman's absence this week. If Martin does indeed sit out Thursday night, Tyson Clabo likely would rejoin the starting lineup.

However, that's a secondary concern to the well-being of Martin -- an unidentified Dolphins player told Darlington that Martin had an "emotional breakdown".

No timetable has been provided by the Dolphins for Martin's return, though the team may now choose to address the situation a little more openly. With a Thursday night game followed by a Monday nighter in Week 10, the Dolphins do have some extra time upcoming between when they take the field. Whether or not Martin can rejoin his teammates by then -- or at any point again this season -- is unknown.

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