NFL

Dolphins GM likely fall guy for bullying mess

TAMPA, Fla. — The Dolphins’ hazing scandal doesn’t appear to be helping general manager Jeff Ireland’s job security.

With investigations by both the NFL and the team into Jonathan Martin’s allegation of bullying by Richie Incognito and others set to begin in earnest this week, Ireland already looks as if he will suffer from the fallout judging by the behavior and comments from Miami owner Stephen Ross on Monday night.

A subsequent 22-19 loss to the previously winless Buccaneers that dropped the Dolphins to 4-5 certainly didn’t help matters for Ireland, but the Bill Parcells disciple already looked to be a goner even before his besieged team was embarrassed on national TV.

While Ross showered Joe Philbin with praise and made it sound as if the second-year coach is safe, Ross conspicuously avoided any mention of Ireland’s name during a packed pregame press conference at Raymond James Stadium or during a halftime interview with ESPN.

As if that weren’t ominous enough for Ireland, he was in attendance at the game, but was the only prominent member of the Dolphins’ front office absent from Ross’ press conference.

Ross already appears to have made up his mind about Ireland even though the NFL and team investigations won’t begin in earnest until Martin is interviewed Friday in Manhattan by Ted Wells, the prominent attorney tabbed by the league to look into the offensive tackle’s explosive bullying allegations against Incognito and others.

The Dolphins are conducting their own probe and had hoped to interview Martin in Los Angeles on Wednesday, but they postponed that talk Tuesday at the request of the league.

Ireland, who has been accused by Martin’s camp of advising him, in a conversation with Martin’s agent, to “punch” Incognito, appears to be on very shaky ground with Ross for more than just the bullying incident.

Not only were the Dolphins embarrassed when it was revealed last year Ireland had asked Dez Bryant if Bryant’s mother was a prostitute in a 2010 pre-draft interview, but Ireland also has little to show on the field for the massive free-agent spending spree he conducted last spring.

The offensive line was in shambles even before the bullying incident erupted, with the Dolphins on pace to allow the most sacks in one season in NFL history, and Miami rushed for just two yards on 14 carries against the Buccaneers in Monday night’s humiliating loss.

Ireland’s biggest free-agent acquisition, former Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace, has been an expensive bust so far. Signed for $60 million, Wallace has just one touchdown catch in the first nine games and was held to 15 yards on four receptions by Darrelle Revis and the Buccaneers.

Ireland quietly received a one-year contract extension from Ross in the offseason, but the owner now sounds as if he holds the GM primarily responsible for the train wreck the entire franchise has become.

One of Ireland’s few relative success stories as GM, second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill, vowed after Mondaynight’s loss that the Dolphins would keep fighting even amid the relentless hazing fallout.

“It’s tough, but the more and more adversity hits you in the face, you got to step up and face it and be able to handle it,” Tannehill said. “Life is full of adversity. Not everyone deals with a situation like this, but you have to be able to face it.

“There’s the old adage ‘As many times a horse knocks you off, you get back on,’ ’’ Tannehill added. “That’s the mentality I have, and that’s the mentality I think this team has, and we just got to keep going.”