The National Football League (NFL) has suspended Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5 million for tampering with star quarterback Tom Brady and former head coach Sean Payton Sean Payton. The league has also stripped the team of draft picks.

The suspension comes after a six-month investigation stemming from Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit against the league.

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The NFL-led investigation found the team did not intentionally lose games during the 2019 season to improve draft position but had impermissible communication with Brady and his agent, Don Yee. 

“The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity,” NFL commissioner Goodell said Tuesday in a statement.

“I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition on tampering with both a head coach and star player, to the potential detriment of multiple other clubs, over a period of several years. Similarly, I know of no prior instance in which ownership was so directly involved in the violations.”

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As a punishment, the Dolphins will forfeit a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft and a third-round selection in the 2024 draft.

Stephen Ross is suspended through October 17 and is forbidden from from being present at the team’s facilitỵ. He is also now allowed to represent the club at any team or NFL event. Ross also may not attend any league meeting before the annual meeting in 2023, and he is removed from all league committees indefinitely.

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Dolphins vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal was fined $500,000 and has been forbidden from attending any league meeting for the remainder of the year.