Friday morning the NFL suspended five players for gambling.  Quintez Cephus and CJ Moore of the Detroit Lions, and Shaka Toney of the Washington Commanders have been suspended indefinitely.  They can apply for reinstatement in one year.

Lions teammates Stanley Barryhill and former Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams were suspended for the team’s first six games of the 2023 regular season.

Cephus, Moore and Toney are alleged to have gambled on NFL games.  Barryhill and Williams bet on college games, but at their NFL facilities.

Prior to the 2022 season, former Falcons and Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for making online bets while away from the team.  Last season Ridley was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars and has been recently reinstated by the National Football League.

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Williams, drafted 12th overall by the Lions in 2022, was out most of the season after injuring his knee in the National Championship Game against Georgia.  He did return in December and had one, 41-yd touchdown reception on the season.

The NFL gambling policy states.  “All NFL Personnel are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bet, whether directly or indirectly through a third-party, on any NFL game, practice or other event. This includes betting on game outcome, statistics, score, performance of any individual participant, or any other kind of ‘proposition bet’ on which wagering is offered.”

“NFL Personnel shall not throw or fix any NFL game or in any way influence its outcome, statistics, or score; or otherwise manipulate or attempt to manipulate any other aspect of any NFL game for a gambling-related purpose.” They go on to state that this includes “accepting a bribe, or otherwise agreeing to throw, fix or influence a game, as well as failing to report any bribe, offer, or attempt to do so.”

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