According to a report from ESPN, a “handful” the NFL is expected to suspend a “handful” of players for a year sometime this week for violating the league’s gambling policy. This comes on the heels of the league announcing that it is emphasizing the key points of said policy to players, and rookies, in particular.
It is already assumed that Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers will be one of these players. Earlier this month, Sports Handle reported that an unnamed player was under investigation for “pervasive” betting, including on his own team.
ESPN later confirmed that the player was Rodgers. It added detail to the news, citing a source that an “associate” of Rodgers placed about 100 bets with an online sportsbook, most in the $25-$50 range. When the news came out, Rodgers did not give specifics, but did post a statement on Twitter effectively admitting to breaking league gambling rules and apologizing for his “error in judgment.”
Nothing has come out as to who the other players could be, but that information will be known soon enough.
The six key points the league is reinforcing with the players are:
- Don’t bet on the NFL
- Don’t gamble at your team facility, while traveling for a road game, or staying at a team hotel
- Don’t have someone bet for you
- Don’t share team “inside information”
- Don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season
- Don’t play daily fantasy football
The NFL will also begin requiring rookies to attend gambling education sessions. With online sports betting now available in most states, it is much easier for players to gamble whenever and wherever; league officials will visit each team to help educate everyone on the rules.
In April, five players were suspended by the league: Detroit Lions wide receivers Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams for six games for placing wagers from a team facility and Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus, Lions safety D.J. Moore, and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney each indefinitely (read: at least one year) for betting on NFL games.
The highest profile individual suspension was that of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley in March 2022. While away from the team during the season, Ridley placed three parlay wagers, each including the Falcons to win. The NFL suspended Ridley indefinitely; he later said he did not have a gambling problem and bet about $1,500 in total.
Ridley was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in November 2022 and was reinstated by the NFL this past March.