The NFL has suspended Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley indefinitely after determining the wideout gambled on league games. The suspension will run no shorter than the entirety of the 2022 season, per the league. The wagers reportedly took place over a five-day period in November 2021, after Ridley had taken an extended leave of absence from the Falcons.
While investigators determined Ridley had no inside information on the outcome of games, the league’s discipline was decisive. Faced with a potential Pete Rose/MLB-level boondoggle, commissioner Roger Goodell was unambiguous: