Denver Broncos Coach Sean Payton on NFL Gambling: ‘Shame on Us’

Since April, 10 NFL players have been suspended for gambling. The latest, Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, was suspended indefinitely by the league for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season. His coach, Sean Payton, isn’t thrilled, telling USA Today on Tuesday that he’s displeased with how the league has educated players on gambling. 

“When you have a bunch of players getting D’s, you have to start looking at the message,” Payton said Tuesday as Broncos veterans reported to training camp. “And we’ve had a lot of D’s in our league this year with this policy.

“If you want to know why everybody is getting busted? They are using this at the facility,” Payton added, grabbing his phone. “And this traces where you were at.”

This year alone, the following players have been suspended:

Payton, 59, enters his first season as Broncos head coach after a one-year hiatus from the sidelines. He led the New Orleans Saints from 2006-11 and then again from 2013-2021, guiding them to three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl win in 2010. 

He said the league's messaging is confusing; some players have said they weren’t aware of the league’s gambling rules. The violations come as sports betting becomes more popular in the U.S. Thirty-four states and Washington, D.C. have legalized some form of sports betting, and the NFL’s corporate partnerships include casinos and sportsbooks, a hypocrisy Payton didn’t fail to note.  

"I know this: There's a handful of owners that are owning these 'problems,'" he said. "A player can't have a share of DraftKings or FanDuel. It's shameful. Embarrassing.

"Shame on us,” Payton added. “And we're going to send them home for a year, where they can't be around. The idea that you just go away, shame on us."

Payton has said the Broncos created educational materials for players on gambling because the league’s information was inadequate and convoluted.  

Asked what Payton told his players this spring, he said, “It’s real simple for the players: You can’t bet on football. Period. You can bet on the other sports, dogs, ponies, craps. You can do all that, but you can’t do it while you’re at the facility.”