OPINION: Betting on the NFL

By Cooper Carrigan

Players betting on professional sports have been circulating recently more than ever. This week the NFL handed out a big-time suspension to the 5th  player in history. On Monday, March 7th the NFL and the NFL Players Association handed wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons Calivin Ridley a minimum of a suspension on the 2022-2023 season. The investigation has been going on since the start of February. Alex Karras in 1963 Paul Hornung in 1963 Art Schlichter in 1983 Josh Shaw in 2019 and now Calvin Ridley in 2022 are the five players that have been suspended for betting on NFL games; two players in the last three years, WOW! According to Adam Shefter, ESPN Senior Nfl Insider, host of the Adam Shefter podcast, stated via Twitter “RIdley had placed multi-legged parlay bets involving 3, 5, and 8 games that included the Falcons to win. These bets did not involve any coaching staff or any players.”

Ridley got the normal penalty for his betting bout. In ‘63 and ‘19 the three players got the same suspension, sitting out a season. The Schlicter situation was a little different because he was also passing bad checks. He got sentenced to two years in prison, yet he had got out on bail a year after the sentence. The penalties for betting have been argued for a long time, should it be more? Should it be less? 

The penalty for betting on NFL games isn’t right, but what if you are betting on your own team to win? I don’t see an issue with that, isn’t that just an added incentive to win? Even though no one should do it, it shouldn’t be a whole season off. They should be suspended for a couple of games but not a whole season. Players using skill-enhancing drugs should have a longer suspension than the betters. Using steroids is only a FOUR GAME suspension. FOUR. 

NFL players betting on games is like government officials using the stock market. They are as well putting their money in something that they can control the outcome. It is a painless act if you are betting with your team; against your team is another thing. In my opinion, the NFL needs to change the rules on this topic. Taking a whole year of their career is too much. Ridley may never get a chance to play again because of his reputation with society.  Ridley was a key player in their seven wins, two years ago. Calvin did not play in the 2021-2022 season because of a mental leave. No one is quite sure what it was. 

All in all the NFL needs to shorten sentences for betting on games. It could ruin one career for quite literally nothing to do with the game. I hope to see Calvin Ridley out there in two years, but to be frank I don’t think he will. His reputation has been stripped from him for putting money on his team to win. The NFL has got lots of backlash throughout the years, the ball is in your court NFL.