DAVIE, Fla. -- Mike Pouncey spent many Miami Dolphins games next to Richie Incognito.
But this?
"He looked over and was like, 'Man, I can't believe that we're sitting here watching the Dolphins play,'" Pouncey said in describing the scene at his house on Sunday afternoon. "I was like, 'It's unbelievable, bro. I had never pictured this ever in my life.'
"We got a laugh out of it and we got to watch a great game."
The two offensive linemen were able to gather at Pouncey's house to watch Miami's win against San Diego for different reasons. Incognito has been suspended by the team as a result of harassment allegations made by former tackle Jonathan Martin. Pouncey was sent home with an illness that started out as food poisoning and later reported as a gallbladder issue.
Pouncey said Incognito was in "good spirits" while the guard's career lingers in limbo.
"He wants to get back on this football team, wants to get back and play football," Pouncey said. "Richie Incognito is a football player -- that's the only thing he knows. He's missing it to death, but he'll be all right."
Pouncey, meanwhile, spent time hospitalized and missed his first game "since I started playing when I was 6 years old." He said he hoped to return this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers at Sun Life Stadium.
"I feel great, I feel like I'm Mike Pouncey again," he said after a practice in which he did not participate. "I'm smiling again. I'm eating food. I'm running around. I'm just glad to be back in this locker room with the guys.
"I want to play. I feel good. I feel good enough to play but that decision will be made by the coaches and the doctors. Right now, I feel like I can go out there and play a football game."
Pouncey has had an eventful year. He drew attention during the summer by wearing a hat indicating support for former college teammate Aaron Hernandez, who has pleaded not guilty to murder. The Dolphins center then was subpoenaed following the team's loss at New England on Oct. 27.
Soon after that, the Martin-Incognito scandal erupted into a national media firestorm.
"If I make through 2013 without having a heart attack, I'll be good," he said with a laugh. "Seriously, it's been a rough one. There's been a lot going on, I've tried to stay positive through the whole thing. Without the support of these guys it wouldn't even be possible. They make it fun for me to come into work and I enjoy being here everyday."
Pouncey said he already had spoken to Ted Wells, the independent investigator into the Dolphins/Martin/Incognito controversy.
"We all spoke to them. Everything went very well," Pouncey said. "It seemed like a long time but it probably wasn't. They got all the questions they wanted to get out of us and we gave them trustful answers.
"They're in there just trying to figure out what's going on, so they're doing the right thing."
Pouncey, Incognito and Martin began the season as starters on Miami's offensive line. In Sunday's win against the Chargers, the line included recently acquired Bryant McKinnie at tackle, center Nate Garner and left guard Sam Brenner, an undrafted rookie activated from the practice squad.
"Those guys played great. I cheered them on -- that was the first time I've ever been a cheerleader in my life," Pouncey said. "But it felt good to see those guys win that football game. To watch it on TV was the craziest thing, but it was very exciting to see those guys go out there and perform the way they did."
"I texted the group text and told them how proud of them I was and tat they played a helluva game. They went out there down three starters and went out there and ran the ball very well, protected their asses off and just had a good game."
Pouncey did his best to help during the game, even if his linemates couldn't hear him.
"I was making a lot of calls on the couch," he said. "It was just really different to watch it at home. I can tell you one thing, I ain't retiring anytime soon."
