July 1st 2023.
The NFL is making a controversial move to get involved in sports betting following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened up the practice nationwide. This has left players in a strange position, feeling as though they are both a commodity and a consumer, a viewpoint shared by Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones in a tweet that read “I understand that rules are rules, But I can risk my life so that my team wins but I can’t risk 1K on my team winning.”
In order to protect the integrity of the league, the NFL has instituted six clear rules around player betting. They are: don’t bet on the NFL, don’t gamble at your team facility, while traveling for a road game or while 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, and don’t play daily fantasy football.
The first consequence of this rule was Calvin Ridley, who was suspended for an entire season due to betting on the Atlanta Falcons to win games. He spent an estimated $1500 on bets that season and as a result, he forfeited the $11 million salary he would have otherwise earned. This suspension was one of many handed out to NFL players, including four members of the Detroit Lions, two members of the Indianapolis Colts, Isiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry, free agent Demetrious Taylor, and Nicolas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans. All of those suspended were Black players due to the fact that the NFL is largely composed of Black players.
It is clear that the NFL will not hesitate to suspend players in order to enforce their policy on gambling, regardless of what the individual player may think. Commissioner Roger Goodell's office has sent a message to all players that the league will do whatever it takes to protect the integrity of the sport.
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