NFL suspends more players for gambling policy violations
The NFL has announced more suspensions for players violating the league’s gambling policy
By Jill Martin, CNN
(CNN) — The NFL has announced more suspensions for players violating the league’s gambling policy.
On Thursday, the league said Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts and free agent Demetrius Taylor are suspended indefinitely through at least the end of the 2023 season for betting on NFL games in the 2022 season. They can request for reinstatement after the 2023 season is completed.
Shortly after Rodgers and Berry’s suspensions were announced, the Colts waived both players.
Additionally, the league announced Thursday Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans is suspended for the team’s first six regular season games of the 2023 season for betting on non-NFL sports at the club facility. He is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games.
The NFL’s gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all league personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any team or league facility or venue, including the practice facility. Any betting on the NFL is prohibited.
Earlier this month, Rodgers said he takes “full responsibility” while adding that he made an “error in judgment” after reports came out that he was being investigated by the NFL for possibly breaching the league’s gambling policy.
This came after ESPN and SportsHandle.com, citing unnamed sources, had reported that a sportsbook account was opened under the name of one of Rodgers’ associates, where approximately 100 bets were placed over an undisclosed amount of times.
“Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Rodgers said at the time in a statement on Twitter. “I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation.
“The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organization, my coaches and my teammates. I’ve let people down that I care about. I made an error in judgment and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It’s an honor to play in the NFL and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of this.”
On April 21, the NFL announced Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore of the Detroit Lions and Shaka Toney of the Washington Commanders were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games in the 2022 season. The league also said at the time Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams of the Lions would be suspended for the team’s first six regular season games of the 2023 season for violating the gambling policy.
The Lions subsequently released Cephus and Moore and said Berryhill and Williams’ suspensions are “for other gambling policy violations, including betting from an NFL facility on non-NFL games.” Berryhill was later waived by the team.
Cephus, Moore and Toney, like Rodgers and Berry, would be suspended through at least the end of the 2023 season and can petition for reinstatement after the season ends.
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CNN’s Homero De la Fuente contributed to this report.
