Report: The Cincinnati Bengals key player is been suspended from all sports for placing a bets against…
For placing bets on NFL games during the previous season, free agent Demetrius Taylor, along with Indianapolis Colts players Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry, were all given extended suspensions that would stretch at least through 2023.
Furthermore, offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans received a six-game suspension for placing bets on sports outside of the team while at work. The NFL made the four bans public on Thursday.
Following their bans, the Colts later declared that Berry and Rodgers had both been waived.
“The game’s integrity is of the utmost importance,” general manager Chris Ballard declared in a release. “As an organization we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations.”
It was revealed to ESPN’s David Purdum on Thursday by sources acquainted with the activity on Rodgers’s online sportsbook account that over 100 bets were placed, at least one of which was on a Colts game. According to a source who spoke with ESPN, Rodgers’ pals who were in Florida urged him to make most of the bets, most of which were between $25 and $50. During the most recent football season, legal sports betting was not accessible in Florida. A $1,000 prop bet on the over/under of rushing yards by a Colts running back was the largest wager made through the account, and it won.
NFL sanctions for gaming in 2023
Nine players have been punished so far this year for breaking the NFL’s gambling rules, including four on Thursday. Enumerated alphabetically, with the suspensions announced on Thursday bolded:
SUSPENSION OF PLAYERS
* Stanley Berryhill, DET~6 games* Quintez Cephus, DET~indefinite* C.J. Moore, DET~indefinite* Nicholas Petit-Frere, TEN~6 games* Rashod Berry, IND~indefinite*
Demetrius Taylor, FA indefinite; Isaiah Rodgers, IND indefinite*
Shaka Toney, WAS not specified
Jameson Williams,* later released, DET six games
According to a league source who spoke to Purdum, the NFL’s investigation into the gambling offenses turned up no proof of any game tampering.
Earlier this month, Rodgers, 25, admitted his predicament on social media and declared that he accepts “full responsibility” for his deeds.
Petit-Frere claimed on Thursday, “The betting I engaged in was NOT NFL related and was legal under Tennessee law,” in a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Only because it took place at the Titans facility is it being approved.
“To my loved ones, coaches, teammates, and Titans supporters, I sincerely apologize. Throughout my entire life, I have made an effort to abide by the rules. I did not intentionally disobey the rules. The details of betting from a team facility were unknown to me, even after attending a league presentation.
“I will do everything in my power to help the team during training camp and will be prepared when I return to the roster during the season.”
“We believe in Nick and know that he has deep respect for the integrity of the game and our organization,” the Titans stated in a statement. We will keep stressing to our players how important it is to comprehend and abide by the policies and rules of the league.”
Following the trade of veteran starting linebacker Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys this summer, cornerback Rodgers was viewed as a key member of the Colts defense. In 2022, Rodgers made nine game starts. Throughout his career, he has averaged 27 yards per kick return, making him a valuable asset on special teams as well.
With Rodgers out, second-round pick Julius Brents will have to step up right away.
Berry, 26, was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad before being added to the Colts’ official roster in January. He was anticipated to be one of the numerous defensive linemen competing for a position on the Colts roster. Eight regular-season games have seen him play, the most recent being five games for the Detroit Lions in 2021. In 2020, he made three appearances for the New England Patriots.
Taylor, a defensive tackle who is 24 years old, was a player for the Lions last season, making one appearance.
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In the third round of the 2022 draft, Petit-Frere, 23, was chosen by the Titans. He started 16 games last season after winning the right tackle position during training camp.
As the Jaguars were vying for the AFC South Division title in Week 17, Petit-Frere was unable to start due to an ankle injury. When Petit-Frere was active last season, he participated in 97% of the offensive snaps. He had an 84.2 pass block victory rate and eight penalties.
Four Lions players and one Washington Commanders player received suspensions from the NFL earlier this year for infractions related to gambling. Quintez Cephus, a wide receiver with the Lions, safety C.J. Moore, and Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were all suspended indefinitely for placing bets on NFL games. Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill, two wide receivers from Detroit, each received six-game suspensions for engaging in mobile betting at the Lions’ Allen Park stadium.
After that, Berryhill, Moore, and Cephus were released by the Lions.
Calvin Ridley, an NFL wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons in the previous season, was suspended for the whole 2022 campaign for his five-game wagering spree while he was not with the team. At the November trade deadline, he was acquired by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and in March, he was added back to the team.
The NFL announced last week that it will be reminding players of its gambling policy. In light of the rapidly expanding sports gambling industry, obligatory instruction sessions for all rookies will be mandated, and a team of league officials is visiting team facilities in person to underline and clarify what activities are off limits.
The following six “key rules” of the gambling policy will be highlighted by league officials:
Never wager on the NFL.
When traveling for a road game or lodging at a team hotel, avoid gambling at your club’s facilities.
Avoid having a bet placed on you.
Share no “inside information” about the team.
Avoid going into a sportsbook when the NFL is in action.
Avoid engaging in daily fantasy football.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down a federal regulation in 2018 that had restricted regulated betting to largely Nevada, eleven players, at least one assistant coach, and an unspecified number of league personnel have been punished for breaching the NFL gambling policy. 34 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have all established legal sports betting markets after the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Stephen Holder and Turron Davenport of ESPN contributed to this article.
