Wide receiver Calvin Ridley was sidelined for the entire 2022 NFL season after the league handed him a one-year suspension for betting on football games.
An investigation revealed that Ridley placed bets on NFL games over a five-day period in November 2021 while away with the Atlanta Falcons.
Last November, the Falcons traded Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for multiple future draft picks. The NFL fully reinstated Ridley in March, making him eligible to participate in all team activities.
Ridley’s story served as a reminder of how seriously the league takes its betting policy.
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Calvin Ridley #0 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during an offseason workout on May 30, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
But in recent weeks, several players have been suspended for violating that very policy.
Some of the offenders bet on NFL games, while others placed bets on football games that were not affiliated with the league. However, both acts are considered direct violations of the NFL’s wagering policy.
CALVIN RIDLEY WRITES HEARTFUL LETTER AFTER NFL RESTORATION: ‘I MADE THE WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE’
Earlier this week, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said that Ridley wants to be a resource to his teammates when it comes to following NFL rules.
Meanwhile, Ridley mentioned that he was upset about the suspensions.
Calvin Ridley #0 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during an offseason workout on May 30, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
«Yeah, it bothers me a little because my NFL friends didn’t look at me and say, ‘Oh, hell, that’s serious,'» Ridley told the Florida Times-Union. “I wish they would have looked at me and said, ‘Wow, did they do it like that? I hope it doesn’t happen to me.’ Because that’s what I would have done.»
The 28-year-old added that he thought his punishment would make other players in the league more hesitant to get involved in gambling.
«If I’d seen one of my NFL friends get hit like that, I would have been a little scared and watching myself. But you know, it is what it is, they have to learn the hard way like I did.» . However, it will be fine.»
But Ridley noticed that some players contacted him, and he tried to educate them on the situation.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) during the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Miami Dolphins on October 24, 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
«I think, even for me, once I found out I was being investigated, I didn’t even know [how serious it was]»Ridley said. «I was like, ‘OK, great.’ I didn’t know how serious it was until I came out of that interview.
«It’s just instructing guys not to do it. It’s not worth it at all. I really think we don’t understand how serious it is. We go through it and then it goes away. It’s a really serious offense. I don’t want to do it, mess with integrity of the game and your job. Just stay away from it if you can.»
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Ridley is now looking to make the most of his second chance at soccer. This season, he’ll be catching passes from Trevor Lawrence as the wide receiver tries to get back in shape.