Calvin Ridley won’t be playing NFL games for at least a calendar year, thanks to the NFL handing the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver an indefinite suspension for gambling on games after he stepped away from the team in October 2021.
The news rippled across the NFL world on Monday, as this is the biggest sports betting scandal we’ve seen in some time. Ridley will sit for at least the entirety of the 2022 NFL season after admitting his actions to the league. It also seems Ridley bet on Falcons games, games in which he did not play as he stepped away from the team for his own mental health.
After the suspension was handed down, NFL fans could not help but notice one of Ridley’s last tweets, which came nearly 24 hours before the news broke.
I learn from my Ls
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 6, 2022
It would make sense if Ridley learned of his suspension over the weekend, but no one can say for certain that this cryptic tweet is related to the news. Maybe he had a bad golf game! It happens.
Ridley did tweet after the suspension came down, stating that he bet just $1,500 in total, all which were parley bets made from his cell phone.
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
Ridley will no doubt have more to say, whether on Twitter or via a press conference, about this suspension in the days to come.
