Tag: Mark Walton

The Miami Dolphins took a chance on running back Mark Walton last year, hoping that a new year in a new city would help provide Walton with the structure that he needed to start making some better decisions — he’d seen three run-ins with law enforcement over the course of his final few months with the Cincinnati Bengals.

And for a while, it worked. But Walton was ultimately suspended for his off-field conduct from last winter and, during his 4-game suspension, was involved in a domestic violence incident — which prompted the Dolphins to cut him nearly immediately.

Fast forward to this week, and Walton is once again in trouble with the law, the latest in a troubling string of decisions for Walton. He’s now been arrested for violating the restraining order placed against him.

#BREAKING: Former Miami Dolphins player Mark Walton arrested for violating a restraining order after a verbal dispute with the mother of his child, according to Opa-locka Police pic.twitter.com/39a2tbnT0B

— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) February 27, 2020

Football is going to be an afterthought for Walton from here, as it should be. The only thing that matters from here is whether or not Walton can correct his life before his poor decisions catch up to him. Here’s hoping Walton gets the support and structure he needs in his life to turn himself around — for the good of himself, his family and his young child.

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When the news broke yesterday morning that the Miami Dolphins were cutting running back Mark Walton for a “police issue”, eyebrows were raised. Given Walton’s checkered past and three prior arrests in the spring of 2019, the Miami Dolphins would have been justified to cut ties with Walton for almost any legal missteps — given they were the team to roll the dice and take a chance on him despite his outstanding legal issues in the spring.

But as more details trickle in regarding the alleged incident Walton was involved in during the early hours of Tuesday morning, the more the Dolphins should be applauded for acting swiftly and decisively — no matter who Walton may have been to the team.

Walton, who was midway through serving a 4-game suspension from the NFL based on his conduct off the field this past offseason, allegedly pushed a woman pregnant with Walton’s child into a wall before punching her several times in the face and head. When the police arrived at the residence, the police report indicates the woman showed swelling on her left eye and Walton was booked shortly afterwards for aggravated battery against a pregnant person — which qualifies as a 2nd-degree felony.

No NFL roster is going to be made up of all boy scouts, but this type of behavior should be given zero tolerance anywhere, let alone in professional sports. And while the Dolphins were within their rights to initially roll the dice on Walton this spring, it unfortunately should not be too big of a shock to see that investment go unrewarded and betrayed. Given Walton’s string of decision making, the odds are quite strong that he’s burned his bridges in the NFL and will not have the privilege of playing professional football ever again.

Nor should he.

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The Miami Dolphins have released a statement announcing that they released running back Mark Walton this morning. The news comes approximately halfway through Walton’s four-game suspension, which was handed down by the NFL in response to Walton’s off-field transgressions this past offseason while a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The news comes as a stunning turn of events after the Dolphins coaching staff spoke highly of Walton, even after the news of his suspension broke just a few weeks ago.

We have waived running back Mark Walton. pic.twitter.com/vXhON24Z4I

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 19, 2019

Not many details are known at this time other than Walton was involved with a police matter that came to the team’s attention this morning. It was all the news Miami needed to feel as though Walton has lost the benefit of the doubt the team gave him by offering him a second chance this spring, even with outstanding legal issues.

More information is needed, but it is difficult to feel too sorry for someone who has squandered first and second chances within a span of eight months. Hopefully Walton is able to get whatever kind of support he needs to work out his issues — but that support will not come from the Dolphins organization. At least not after whatever went down recently.

Stay tuned for more details on this developing story.

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