Calvin Orin Ridley is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He played college football at Alabama, and was drafted by the Falcons in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Calvin Ridley: Betting on games| What did bet on| Suspended
Betting on games:
The NFL released a statement Monday announcing his suspension, saying Ridley gambled on games over a five-day stretch in November 2021 when he was on the non-football injury list to address his mental health.
Ridley stepped away from football on Halloween, saying he needed to get his personal life in order.
In a series of tweets Monday after the suspension was announced, Ridley said he bet $1,500 total and that “I don’t have a gambling problem.”
What did bet on:
He also tweeted that he couldn’t even watch football at the time he made the bets. He added that he’s just going to “be more healthy when I come back” and that “I know I was wrong But I’m getting 1 year lol.”
The NFL determined that Ridley placed multilegged parlay bets involving three, five and eight games that included the Falcons to win via his mobile device out of state, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The NFL learned of Ridley’s betting activity through its relationships within the legal sports betting industry, a source told ESPN’s David Purdum.
Suspended:
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended for at least the 2022 season after gambling on games in 2021.
“There is nothing more fundamental to the NFL’s success — and to the reputation of everyone associated with our league — than upholding the integrity of the game,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to Ridley notifying him of his suspension.
“This is the responsibility of every player, coach, owner, game official, and anyone else employed in the league. Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the NFL.
