As one normally does after getting suspended for a year from their job with their career in jeopardy, Calvin Ridley took to the bird app to plead his case.
Word came down Monday afternoon that the Falcons wide receiver had been suspended by the NFL for a year for betting on games—even though he was injured and didn’t participate. But, rules are rules. About an hour later he was tweeting through it.
In a case of either coincidence or a terrific sense of humor, this was Ridley’s last tweet before the news became public, “I learn from my Ls”:
After the news broke, he tried to plead his case: “I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem.”
A gambling problem isn’t the point—the integrity of the game is. However, he kept it up, “I couldn’t even watch football at that point.”
Other stages of grief were touched upon too:
Anger: “I know I was wrong But I’m getting 1 year lol”.
Pleading: “If you know me you know my character.”
Acceptance: “Just gone be more healthy when I come back.”
I wonder what the odds are that he plays another snap in the NFL. Let’s check it out at NFL sponsor Caesar’s Sports Book.
The Falcons have said they were made aware of the NFL’s investigation last month—and have since declined trade offers for Ridley due to knowledge of his situation. His future with the team—and, really, the league—following his suspension is obviously unclear.
Ridley has three days to appeal the suspension, otherwise, he’s eligible for reinstatement on February 15, 2023.
Ridley isn’t the first NFL player to receive a suspension for gambling. And with gambling’s ubiquity in sports, especially the NFL, it’s hard to fathom him being the last.
