Calvin Ridley Responds To Year-Long Suspension For Betting On NFL Games
In a statement on Monday (March 7) the NFL announced Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended for at least the 2022 season after gambling on games in 2021.
According to ESPN, the NFL claims Ridley gambled on games over a five-day stretch in November 2021 when he was on the non-football injury list to address his mental health. He stepped away from football on Halloween, saying he needed to get his personal life in order.
After news of Ridley’s suspension hit the football world, he took to his Twitter account to admit his gambling on football, but claimed he only bet a total of $1,500 and that he doesn’t “have a gambling problem.” He also added that he’s going to "be more healthy when I come back" and that "I know I was wrong But I'm getting 1 year lol."
The NFL determined that Ridley placed multi-legged parlay bets via his mobile device involving three, five and eight games that included the Falcons to win, according to ESPN.
"There is nothing more fundamental to the NFL's success – and to the reputation of everyone associated with our league – than upholding the integrity of the game," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to Ridley. "This is the responsibility of every player, coach, owner, game official, and anyone else employed in the league. Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the NFL.”
The statement added: "For decades, gambling on NFL games has been considered among the most significant violations of league policy warranting the most substantial sanction. In your case, I acknowledge and commend you for your promptly reporting for an interview, and for admitting your actions."
The NFL said it learned of Ridley’s betting activity through his relationships within the legal sports betting industry, ESPN reports.
