Calvin Ridley Has Applied For Reinstatement to the NFL

Jaguars’ WR Calvin Ridley, who was suspended one season after being accused of betting on games in November 2021 while he played with the Falcons, is in fact applying to the NFL today for reinstatement, per source. Today is first day Ridley can apply, and he’s wasting no time.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2023

I love watching football, but I do not love the NFL. I mean, I love the games, storylines, and history, but it's a fucked up organization. It's not the Catholic church, although there is still plenty of questionable touching. The NFL doesn't care about the players that make the game possible. Just look at its record with healthcare. The NFL is modern-day big tobacco with the information about concussions they knowingly withheld. Deflategate was a witch hunt. Need I go on?

I understand that players shouldn't be gambling on games for the "integrity of the game," but it's reaaaallly hard to villainize gambling when there are commercials for DraftKings, FanDuel, multiple casinos, and TV channel-sponsored betting after every punt and time out. The New Orleans Saints call the Caesars Super Dome home, and that's not in homage to the salad.

On March 7th, 2022, the NFL suspended then-Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley for the entire 2022 season after news came out that he gambled on NFL games in 2021 while away from the team.

I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem

— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 7, 2022

According to sources, Ridley bet at least $3.900 on six different bets that included Falcons money line. All six bets lost.

Again, I don't think it's right for current NFL players to bet on games, but it ended up costing Ridley over 11 million dollars in forfeited earnings. That's fucked up. The punishment does not fit the offense. When players have hit women or committed violent crimes, suspensions are notably shorter. How did Dante Stallworth get the same suspension for killing someone (DUI)? 

It's laughable that the league can make millions on gambling, but an injured player places a few parlays, and it's worse than child abuse or sexual assault in the NFL's eyes.

Hopefully, Ridley has learned his lesson and will succeed in Jacksonville. He'd be a great piece for Trevor Lawrence on a team whose stock is only rising after a surprise division title and first playoff win in five years. If the NFL doesn't reinstate him, they better stop cashing checks from casinos. Don't forget to buy a Deshaun Watson jersey from NFLshop.com!

I've lost more bets than I ever want to know the actual number of, but this is fucking brutal. 

Calvin Ridley bet $1500 and lost $10 million, those are the worst odds in gambling history

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 7, 2022

That's way worse than an eight leg teaser going 7-1 (something that happened to me three times in 2022).