The NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell dropped the hammer on Calvin Ridley on Monday, suspending the Falcons wide receiver for at least the 2022 season for gambling on games over a five-day stretch in November, when Ridley was away from the team to address mental health concerns.
Ridley reportedly included his Falcons team in his parlay bets, but bet on Atlanta to win, but the league still made an example of Ridley, who Gio thinks got too much of a punishment for his infractions.
“The NFL is gonna protect that, as much as they are in bed with gambling sites,” Gio said. “But I do think there is a big difference between a guy who is not with the team, betting a parlay on his own team to win, than a guy point shaving, that’s a big difference between those two things.”
Boomer strongly disagreed, regardless of the nature of the bets, or whether Ridley was with the team or not while he was placing those wagers, which Ridley tweeted totaled only $1,500 total.
“It’s precedent,” Boomer said. “Here’s your first player who has been caught by the system…I believe the penalty is worth the crime, because you cannot have players betting on games, win, lose, or parlay.”
Gio acknowledged the statement the league is trying to make with Ridley, but can’t get past the nature of the betting being worthy of a suspension that could exceed an entire season.
“The punishment of a year suspension has everything to do with the NFL telling everybody ‘Do not mess around with this. Don’t even touch it,’” Gio said. “It’s not worthy of a year suspension in my opinion…the integrity of the game never fell into question with this particular thing.”
Boomer thought it was the right move by Goodell, who needed to show that betting on the league you are a part of has no place in the NFL.
“The moment you sign an NFL contract, you are entering an agreement understanding the rules in order for you to play,” Boomer said. “I’m sorry, it’s just the way it is…winning or losing, betting is betting, and betting on games is a no-no. It’s inappropriate.”
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