Embattled Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito defended himself against allegations he bullied fellow lineman Jonathan Martin, saying on Sunday he received a text from his teammate claiming "I will murder your whole ... family."

Incognito, who has been suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins while the National Football League conducts an investigation into allegations that the All-Pro guard had threatened Martin and used racial slurs, made the comments during an interview with Fox NFL on Sunday.

Incognito apologized for his insensitive remarks but said was shocked at Martin's reaction.

"People don't know how Jon and I communicate with each other," Incognito said. "I've taken stuff too far. I did not intend to hurt him."

Incognito said he received a text from Martin saying he would murder his family a week before the bullying allegations against him but never thought of it as a serious threat considering the two were teammates and friends.

"A week before this went down, Jonathan Martin texted me, 'I will murder your whole (expletive) family'," Incognito said. "Now did I think Jonathan Martin was going to murder my family? Not one bit. I know it was coming from a brother. I knew it was coming from a friend. I knew it was coming from a teammate.

"That puts in context how we communicate with one another."

Incognito's comments add another twist to what has turned into a disturbing look inside the NFL locker-room culture where rookie hazing is part of a player's rites of passage.

Incognito sparked outrage when a voice mail surfaced last week of him using racial slurs against Martin while threatening to harm him.

"What I was going for ... I hadn't seen my buddy. I wanted to shock him," said Incognito in an attempt to explain the message. "I wanted him to call me back.

"When the words are put out of context, I understand why a lot of eyebrows are raised. What people don't know is how Jon and I communicate to one another."

(China Daily 11/12/2013 page23)