NFL announces tampering violations to Dolphins regarding Tom Brady

The NFL is docking the Dolphins two draft picks and temporarily suspending owner Stephen Ross following the league’s investigation into allegations that the franchise engaged in tampering and violated the “integrity of the game.”

Following the league’s investigation, Miami will forfeit the club’s first-round selection in the ’23 NFL draft and its third-round pick in the ’24 NFL draft. Ross is suspended through Oct. 17, ’22 and will not be allowed to be at the team’s facility or represent the club at any team or NFL event during the period of his suspension. He will also be fined $1.5 million.

The punishments come after the NFL investigated the two separate accusations levied against the Dolphins, the first of which was whether Miami violated the league’s tampering rules by engaging in conversations with Brady and Saints coach Sean Payton while the two were under contract with other franchises. The league found that the team had “impermissible communications” with Brady during 2019 and ’20, while he was under contract with the Patriots, and again after the ’21 season, while the seven-time Super Bowl champion was with Tampa.