The NFL season has been over for about a month now, but the stories don’t stop. Aaron Rodgers is staying in Green Bay, Russell Wilson is off to Denver, and the NFL still sucks at punishing players. The latest victim of this incompetence? Calvin Ridley, who was suspended for the entire 2022 season for gambling.
What Did Calvin Ridley Gamble On?
Ridley placed parlay bets on NFL games using his cell phone, per @MikeGarafolo.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 7, 2022
Now, if Calvin Ridley was gambling on any other sport, this would be even more ridiculous. However, he did bet on NFL games, which is a big no-no. I understand the NFL wants to curb this kind of behavior, worrying that someone might throw a game for a large payout. Even if they are caught after the fact, the damage is done, and the shield was left unprotected. However, there is one point of fact that does impact this.
Calvin Ridley Was Away from the Team When He Gambled
It was a big storyline during the season: Calvin Ridley stepped away from football due to mental health issues. He had not contact with the Falcons, or any of its players or coaches, per reports. So, how could Calvin throw a game he had zero involvement in? That’s like college football telling me I couldn’t gamble on Alabama because I was a student at the university. Yes, I was technically part of the collective group, but I wasn’t in the team meetings, and Nick Saban sure as hell wasn’t asking my opinions on the gameplan. I understand that’s a little different because Ridley was on the payroll, but we both had the same level of involvement. Oh, and he bet on the Falcons to win every week, which I feel makes it a little better? That’s neither here nor there, the question remains, was the NFL right to suspend him.
Should Ridley Have Been Punished?
100%. Even while away from the team, Calvin Ridley is an NFL player who gambled. Those rules are in place for a reason, and regardless of how hypocritical they are, Calvin Ridley broke the rules by gambling. Any potential suspension, fine, or combination thereof is completely justified. The problem lies in how long Calvin Ridley’s suspension is.
The NFL’s Suspensions Make No Sense
Major NFL suspensions:
— Nick Looney (@NickLooney901) March 7, 2022
Ray Rice: beating fiancé; 2 games
Adrian Peterson: felony child abuse; 6 games
Greg Hardy: beating gf; 10 games reduced to 4
Ezekiel Elliot: hitting women; 6 games
Calvin Ridley: 17 games for using FanDuel
Josh Gordon: 6 seasons for smoking weed
I would also throw “allegedly having a general knowledge of footballs being deflated even though as temperature drops so does pressure,” but the point still stands: the NFL has fucked up priorities. If you look at this list and believe the NFL is making the right decision, I have some property for you to invest in. The NFL seriously cannot believe that gambling is (in some cases) 8.5 times worse than assault. However, this suspension isn’t out of left field.
This is Consistent for Once
NFL Players Suspended for Gambling:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2022
⁰?1963 Alex Karras ⁰?1963 Paul Hornung ⁰?1983 Art Schlichter ⁰?2019 Josh Shaw ⁰?2022 Calvin Ridley
I know I’ve been railing against the NFL for having dumb suspensions, but this is how the NFL has operated going back to the 60’s. All of those guys above were suspending for one season (Art Schlichter was suspended for 13 games if he sought treatment, and then was released and then was released two years later for, you guessed it, gambling.) However, both can be true. The NFL can be consistent on their gambling punishments, while they also make no sense compared to other punishments.
Also, if only five guys in NFL history have gambled while playing, I would be shocked.
Will This Suspension Be Reduced?
Maybe, I honestly don’t know. Ridley didn’t necessarily do himself any favors with his Tweets after the suspension:
I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022
I know I was wrong But I’m getting 1 year lol
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022
If you’re hoping your appeal goes well, maybe don’t admit fault and say how much you gambled. However, I think this was going to be an uphill battle from the start. Outside of the NFL’s consistent stance on this, part of the issue I think is the ongoing vilification of Pete Rose. Even as more and more states legalize gambling, it’s still viewed as a thing “degenerates do” across the country. With this stigma sticking around for the foreseeable future, I don’t see the NFL cutting this suspension significantly, even before Calvin Tweeted through it.
Moreover, I think this would be the NFL admitting it has no idea what it’s doing when it comes to suspensions. If I know anything, I know the NFL doesn’t want to admit when it’s wrong. After a court nullified Brady’s Deflategate suspension, the appealed to strictly on the grounds that Roger Goodell can punish players how he wants under the CBA, which the court agreed with. Roger Goodell is so power hungry, I doubt he would cut this suspension by a significant amount.
So, Free Calvin.
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