Three players have been suspended for at least the 2023 season for violating the NFL betting policy.
Indianapolis Colts players Isaiah Rodgers Sr. and Rashod Berry, and free agent Demetrius Taylor, received bans of at least one year for wagering on NFL games last season, the league announced Thursday.
The Colts subsequently waived Rodgers Sr. and Berry.
“We have made the following roster moves as a consequence of the determination that these players violated the league’s gambling policy,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. “The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance. As an organization we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations.”
When can suspended players return?
The trio can apply for reinstatement from their NFL betting suspensions at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.
Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere received a six-game ban for placing non-NFL wagers at the team practice facility.
NFL betting probes add up
US Integrity founder and CEO Matt Holt told LSR recently that there were a “multitude” of outstanding investigations from last season on NFL players making wagers at the team practice facility.
Players are prohibited from making wagers while at work. That includes the stadium, practice facility, team plane, bus or hotel.
The league felt a need to reiterate its updated gambling policies on a recent call with reporters. In April, five NFL players faced various degrees of betting bans.
Rodgers NFL betting violations
Rodgers made approximately 100 wagers, most in the $25-$50 range, a source confirmed to LSR. He made them through a sportsbook account that was opened in the name of an associate. He also bet on his own team.
ESPN also reported that Rodgers made a $1,000 prop bet on an over-under rushing yards prop for a Colts running back. It did not specify if that wager was on a single game or the entire season.
The Indiana Gaming Commission acknowledged an NFL investigation into Rodgers at the time. Rodgers tweeted an apology on the night of June 5 after the news broke.
Petit-Frere‘s betting slip
Petit-Frere released a statement to ESPN, which was posted via Twitter, saying: “Even after attending the league presentation, I was unaware of the specifics around placing bets from a team facility.”
He had previously told The Tennessean: “I’ll be honest with you: There wasn’t really a lot of teaching from the NFL and things like that. I was actually one of the people who asked the most questions when it came to fantasy football.”
Hope for probes to decrease in 2024
Holt told LSR that he hopes the uptick of NFL betting probes will decrease by this time next year because of awareness and education.
“Hopefully next summer we’ll see a lot less, because what’s happening this year should be a really good deterrent to athletes,” Holt said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, don’t log in at practice, man. Stay off the betting apps during practice.’”
The league could be best served by firewalling off betting apps at the team practice facilities, he said.
“We need to start geofencing some of these locations, probably,” Holt said. “Or players just need to start realizing that when they log in from (the practice facility), everyone knows. Your buddy, your girlfriend, your sister, they don’t play for the team. So that’s just actually making it worse, logging in from their accounts there.”
