NFL Welcomes Back Five Players Previously Suspended For Illegal Betting
NFL players committed a surprising number of gambling infractions last offseason, resulting in several suspensions, some of them ‘indefinite.’
The general rule is that NFL employees, both staff and players, are prohibited from any form of sports gambling.
READ: NFL Suspends Four More Players For Gambling Violations As List Continues To Grow
Almost a year later, the NFL officially reinstated five players who were disciplined for violating the league's gambling policy.
Wide receiver Stanley Berryhill of the Atlanta Falcons at the conclusion of an NFL preseason football game (Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL reinstated Commanders cornerback Shaka Toney, former Colts linebacker Rashod Berry, ex-wideout Quintez Cephus, and former Lions players C.J. Moore and Demetrius Taylor. Toney is the only player in the group that still holds a job in the league.
The Detroit Lions released Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore following their suspensions. Detroit separately disciplined former first-round receiver Jameson Williams and ex-WR Stanley Berryhill for six games for their involvement in last offseason's gambling hunt. Jameson and Berryhill were accused of using a mobile betting app within the Lions' facilities. The Lions later waived Berryhill. Williams and Berryhill reportedly bet on college games rather than NFL action.
DETROIT - Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions plays against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on December 11, 2022. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The league is still reviewing the case of former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who was accused of placing "upwards of 100 bets," including a prop bet on a teammate.
Roger Goodell and the NFL dropped the hammer on players involved in gambling infractions last year, coming off a 2022 season where former Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley fought a year's suspension for betting on NFL games.
This year, betting scandals have rocked different leagues, namely the NBA and MLB.
We recently heard of former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who was accused of placing 13 bets on NBA games and racking up roughly $22K in winnings.
Then there's MLB's seismic scandal involving Shohei Ohtani and his ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. While the federal investigation deemed Ohtani innocent of any crimes, the amount of money surrendered behind closed doors still has people wondering if Ohtani was entirely in the dark concerning his interpreter's alleged betting addiction.
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