NFL pro Calvin Ridley of the Atlanta Falcons has been suspended for betting on US Football League games until the end of the 2022 season. This was announced by league boss Roger Goodell on Monday. According to this, Ridley is said to have bet on NFL games for five days last year.
According to the league, the 27-year-old wide receiver should not have used insider information or manipulated games. Coaches, teammates or opposing players are said not to have known about his activities.
“Your actions have compromised the integrity of the game, damaged public confidence in professional football and potentially undermined the reputation of your fellow players throughout the NFL,” Goodell wrote in an open letter to Ridley. Betting on NFL games has been “considered one of the most serious violations of league policy” for decades.
Ridley, who played just five games for the Falcons last season and left the team in late October due to mental health issues, has cooperated with investigators and admitted his wrongdoing. He can submit an application for his return on February 15, 2023 at the earliest.