Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley and former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Pete Rose unfortunately have something in common: they both love to gamble, and their wagering habits led to some pretty hefty consequences.
Ridley has been suspended for the entirety of the 2022-2023 season for gambling on games in the NFL. According to a statement from the NFL, Ridley’s gambling activity “took place during a five-day period in late November 2021 while Ridley was not with the team and was away from the club's facility on the non-football illness list.”
Reports indicate that he wagered roughly $1,500 across three different parlays and once on the Falcons winning a game between the dates of November 23 -28. His betting activity was flagged and the NFL caught notice of his bets.
The NFL’s investigation revealed that no games were compromised. Ridley can appeal for reinstatement on February 15, 2023, but thanks to the NFL’s CBA, he can appeal the suspension within three days, though a series of tweets from Ridley himself suggests he will not. He also did not seem to take the suspension too seriously and somewhat shirked responsibility for his actions in the process:
I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022
I couldn’t even watch football at that point
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022
Just gone be more healthy when I come back
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022
While the Falcons will lose a top playmaker, their payroll will open up significantly now that he has been suspended. Atlanta now has $11.1 million freed up in cap space available to make upgrades, which they need in several key areas (the Falcons finished 7-10 last season).