Incognito says NFL system 'bogus' due to Goodell's 'absolute power'

Richie Incognito sees parallels between the Deflategate investigation and the Miami Dolphins' bullying probe, believing there was nothing "independent" about Ted Wells' investigations in both cases.

Incognito, who has been given a chance at redemption by the Buffalo Bills this season, told Newsday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's unchecked power makes it unfair for players who are the subject of league investigations.

"I just think it's bogus, the whole system in how it's set up with Roger and the complete, absolute power he has," Incognito told the newspaper. "He has so much power and he hires independent investigators who come in and are obviously not independent. They come in with an agenda and they come in looking to find facts to back up their argument. All the facts are slanted in their favor.

"Ted Wells came in with a mission against me. Ted Wells came in slanted against me and everything in his report was slanted against me. There were some things in there that would have helped my cause that were left out."

Incognito was asked by the newspaper for specifics on what was left out of Wells' report in his case.

"Teammate testimony, stuff like that," the guard, who is slated to start for the Bills, told the newspaper. "You see that in [Tom] Brady's case. There's a lot of stuff that got left out. There's a lot of misinformation."

Brady was suspended four games following Wells' investigation into allegations the New England Patriots deflated balls in the AFC Championship Game. Goodell upheld the quarterback's suspension on appeal. On Wednesday, settlement talks, ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman after Brady filed a counterclaim in federal court seeking to vacate the suspension, are scheduled between the NFL and players association.

Wells' investigation into the high-profile Dolphins bullying scandal found that Incognito and two other Miami offensive linemen -- John Jerry and Mike Pouncey -- harassed rookie Jonathan Martin.Incognito was suspended for his final eight games with the Dolphins in 2013.

Since signing with the Bills in February after he remained unsigned for the entire 2014 season, Incognito has talked about how he wishes he could change things he said and did during his time in Miami.