There were times over the past year when Richie Incognito wondered if he would simply fade away from the NFL.
No team signed him last season after Incognito was the key figure in the Miami Dolphins' 2013 bullying scandal, in which offensive tackle Jonathan Martin left the team. Incognito said he though he was close to signing with a couple teams, but nobody gave him a contract and he sat out all year. It looked like nobody thought the 31-year-old guard would be worth the ensuing media attention.
The Buffalo Bills, with new coach Rex Ryan, weren't scared off. They signed Incognito.
"There were some dark days where I didn't think I was ever gonna play again," Incognito said, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "It really just kind of fueled me to work harder."
As the Bills' offseason program began, Incognito opened up about his second chance. He said he was in great shape. Sitting out a year in exile over the controversy was a wake-up call.
"Incredibly humbling," Incognito said, according to the Bills' transcripts. "Taking a step back, taking a year off. It was a learning process, it was frustrating. But, I think at the end of the day, humbling is the best way to describe it."
Incognito is back. So is Martin, who signed with the Carolina Panthers after the San Francisco 49ers cut him this offseason. Martin doesn't want to discuss what happened in Miami. For Ryan, what happened doesn't matter. He spoke of Incognito's sincerity when he spoke to him and his desire to play football. Now that Incognito is with the Bills, Ryan said all that matters is what he does going forward.
"What’s in the past is in the past," Ryan said.
All that will really matter is if Incognito, a former Pro Bowler, can help the Bills at a troublesome guard spot after sitting out a year. He'll always be known for what happened with the Dolphins, but the Bills likely don't have to worry about Incognito being a problem. After all he has been through since news broke of the problems in the Dolphins locker room, one would assume Incognito will be the model teammate.
"It was definitely difficult sitting out," Incognito said. "Knowing I could still play, knowing I had talent to contribute. Like I said, it was a learning process. At first, there was a lot of frustration, you know, “why am I not signing, why am I not on a team?” Then, it was a time for inner reflection, kind of a time for growth. Then, it was an acceptance. Accepting the fact that I’m not going to play this year and that I’m going to have to chalk it up and wait for another opportunity."
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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