Three of the four Lions hit with gambling suspensions in April are no longer on the roster. The team waived wide receivers Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill and released special-teamer C.J. Moore, who re-signed in March. But the Lions’ gambling issue is not entirely in the rearview mirror, it appears.
The NFL is investigating a fifth Lions player for a potential violation of the league’s gambling policy, Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic reports (subscription required). The league has not yet interviewed the unknown player, but seeing as the Lions have cut three players and fired multiple staffers for violations of the policy, it is safe to say this is a widespread issue within the NFC North franchise.
The one player remaining on the roster after a gambling ban, Jameson Williams, said he was not aware he was breaking an NFL rule by placing a bet on a non-NFL game at a Lions facility. Williams and Berryhill incurred six-game suspensions for making bets on non-NFL games while at the Lions’ facility (or while with the team on the road), Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Cephus, Moore and Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney received indefinite suspensions, which will cover at least one full season, for betting on NFL games.
“It hit me out of the blue, and it hit a couple other players around the league and on my team out of the blue,” Williams said, via Birkett. “I wasn’t aware of this situation, but as it happened, like I said, I took it on the chin, I was ready to move forward as things moved on and I got the consequences, so that’s been my whole plan moving forward from things and just looking at the better days.”
In addition to a potential fifth Lions player being suspended, ESPN.com’s David Perdum reports the NFL is conducting an investigation into more gambling violations. Since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened the doors for sports betting outside of its traditional hubs (primarily Nevada), 33 states and Washington D.C. have opened legal betting markets. Once a beneath-the-surface topic in the NFL, wagering on games and players (via daily fantasy sites) is now regularly promoted. The NFL has partnered with three sportsbooks in recent years.
In the time since the Supreme Court’s ruling, seven players have been popped for gambling policy violations. Defensive back Josh Shaw and wideout Calvin Ridley served indefinite suspensions, with Ridley being recently reinstated. Jets wide receivers coach Miles Austin also received a gambling ban. Following the April bans, the NFLPA sent an email to agents reminding of the league’s policy preventing bets on mobile apps while at team facilities, Perdum adds.
As for the Lions, they will be without Williams — last year’s No. 12 overall pick who missed most of his rookie season due to ACL rehab — for six games and may soon see another player suspended. This issue has affected Detroit most, and cleanup measures regarding NFL policy comprehension and messaging has almost definitely taken place there. But the NFL investigation could soon see more teams impacted on this front.
It’s hilarious that David Montgomery said the Bears ” Sucked the fun out of football” because of the losing and then went and signed with the Lions. One of the biggest losing teams of the 2000’s. After reading that it was easy to see why the Bears walked away from him and signed Foreman and drafted Roschon Johnson who might be the biggest steal of the draft. We’re in much better shape and if I were the Lions, I’d try my best not to suck or take the fun out of football. ROTFLMAO.
Clearly you haven’t watched the Lions since the 2000s either. The record speaks for itself though. Keep on hating
Well I’m 66 and have seen every Lions-Bears game ever. Well at least in my lifetime. The Lions aren’t on National TV much, Can’t imagine why? Anyway the Lions felt soooo good about signing the great David Montgomery they shocked the football world by taking a RB with their first round pick. Awesome use of resources. LOL. I can assure you that if the Lions are better it probably won’t be because of Montgomery.
Actually after playing for the most pathetic OL in the NFL,I can imagine playing football was much fun got Montgomery. Chicago is the worst team in the league and you’re going to take shots at the Lions? BTW, we have SIX primeitme games this season bud. So you seen to be wrong in just about every aspect!
The Lions were an obvious choice after beating the Bears twice and pounding them into the ground in the 2nd game. I thought Fields was going to cry at the end of that game. Montgomery & the Lions will continue the pounding next year. Enjoy.
Well enjoy 2 yards and a cloud of Astro turf Dave. Oh wait, that’s right, he’s gonna be on the bench. Probably for the better. But a 6 million a year back up? Well played. 1 9-8 year gives you eternal hope huh? Well I guess it would for your team.
History repeats itself. I’d be willing to bet there’s a massive point shaving/game throwing scandal within the next 10 years. Especially with how much money there is in gambling now.
NFL and these orgs are living in the clouds if they think they can police it.
The game officiating has degraded to such a degree that it often appears as if certain outcomes are being deliberately manipulated. The NFL was at least a decade behind the rest of the world in accepting minorities in executive positions and they are likewise out of touch with the general publics acceptance of sports gambling.
Lemon- Is it really the people officiating the game? Or the morons who are writing rules that nobody could possibly figure out ? The NFL refused to hire officials full time and pay them a decent wage so they didn’t have to work elsewhere and could be properly trained. The officiating is horrible I grant you, But let’s get to the root of the problem. The pass interference rules are so pathetic, DB’s have basically no chance without a decent pass rush.
The NFLs standard defense against criticism of officiating is to boast of their advances with video replays. Unfortunately a lot of the bad officiating relates to penalties that should have been called but were ignored and video replays are of no help there.
The officials are always going to be suspect in any gambling scandal. The players make way too much money for a gambler to buy them off. But the NFL in it’s infinite wisdom, A Multi Billion dollar industry invites gambling into it’s world and then cheaps out on the officials. With some of the calls I’ve seen already, I’ve gotta wonder. When you see a flag thrown AFTER a play is over you gotta just say WTF. Until they pay officials an above average wage it’s gonna get worse.
The game officials have a union that puts more fear into Goodell than the players union and that is part of the reason nothing ever gets done to correct the degrading standard. The NFL tried several years ago to stand up to that union and suffered an enormous fan backlash when replacement officials were used. Goodell doesn’t want to risk a repeat of that nightmare so the poor officiating will simply continue.