WASHINGTON – A public relations expert says that a high-profile situation, such as the recent bullying scandal that has hit the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, calls for a strategy to manage appearances.
John Maroon, president of Maroon Public Relations in Columbia, Md., told WTOP’s Dimitri Sotis on Tuesday that Richie Incognito, the Dolphins lineman who has been suspended after teammate Jonathan Martin left the team two weeks ago and sought treatment for emotional distress, did the right thing by sitting down with Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer for an interview that aired Sunday.
Incognito’s most important objective was proving that he wasn’t a racist, Maroon says. Second, in an age where people reach quick conclusions, Incognito had to inspire people to think “maybe there’s more to this story.” He accomplished both objectives, Maroon says.
On the other hand, Incognito’s past, with many on- and off-field incidents, is still a problem: “It’s not like this is a squeaky-clean guy,” Maroon says.
In the interview with Glazer, Incognito wore a slightly wrinkled, button-down shirt without a tie. Maroon says that in a suit, Incognito would have looked like he was on trial, and it was important for him to avoid that.
Martin reportedly will meet with the owner of the Dolphins Wednesday and release a video statement soon. Maroon says a video statement won’t have the same impact as a sit-down such as Incognito’s. Martin is in a “tricky situation” because of the conflict between legal strategy and public-relations strategy, he says.
“Legal advice is ‘Circle the wagons; be careful with every word you say,'” Maroon says. “PR advice is ‘Sit down; explain yourself.'”
After Incognito went public, Maroon says, the ball is in Martin’s court. He may face some tough questions, but “if he is truly the victim here … he has nothing to apologize for; he just needs to explain it.”
While both men are probably finished with the Dolphins, Martin will likely play in the NFL again, according to reports. Maroon says that the situation will follow Martin wherever he goes, and he advises the lineman to come to grips with the fact that this is now a big part of your life.
“Changes are going to come out of this incident, most of them probably for the better. But it’s going to be known as either the ‘Richie Incognito’ or the ‘Jonathan Martin rule,’ and he’s going to have to answer those questions, just like Incognito’s always going to have the ‘bully’ label follow him around,” Maroon says.
The image of the Dolphins is up in the air as well, as even Incognito’s defense paints an unflattering picture of the culture of the team’s locker room. Again, Maroon advises openness: Somebody in a very high position with the Dolphins will have to speak publicly.
It’s not that easy, though. Sitting down for an interview seems very simple, but when you’re in the moment, Maroon says, “it’s very hard for them to stay on point.”
Also, in the days of instant communication, the public reaches a conclusion very quickly in high-profile cases, “and they’re going to stick to that decision,” Maroon says.
Maroon says he has dealt with difficult PR decisions in the past. He worked for the Baltimore Orioles in 1996 when Roberto Alomar spit in the face of umpire John Hirschbeckl.
“You’d think that he committed atrocities,” Maroon says. “And that really damaged [Alomar] for a long time, and that bothered me, to see that happen. Because I know that [Alomar] and [his] family are good people, and he made a mistake in the heat of the moment, and that was one that always stayed with me.”
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