‘I Don’t Think They Explained It Right’: NFL Players on the League’s Gambling Suspensions

Nine NFL players have been suspended for gambling violations since April. At Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards, Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs and Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Chark told The Messenger the league needs to improve communication on its gambling policy.

Four of Jacobs' teammates in Detroit last season—wide receivers Jameson Williams, Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill, and safety C.J. Moore—are suspended for violations of the gambling policy that occurred during the 2022 season (Cephus, Moore and Berryhill have since been released by the Lions). Cephus and Moore are suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games. Williams and Berryhill, meanwhile, did not bet on NFL games but are suspended for six games each for mobile betting on other sports that occurred at the team's facility.

Jacobs expressed frustration at what he sees as a lack of clarity from the league: “To be honest, we're looking at it like they should have explained it more. They explained it and said we can't gamble, which is right. But they should explain where to gamble at and how should we gamble. I don't think they explained it right.”

Last month the Indianapolis Colts released two players, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and linebacker Rashod Berry, after they were suspended indefinitely for gambling on NFL games last season.

Rodgers, according to ESPN’s David Purdum, placed over 100 bets with an online sportsbook, with at least one being on a game involving the Colts. Most bets were from $25 to $50. Rodgers acknowledged his mistakes via Twitter, writing “I’ve let people down that I care about. I made an error in judgment, and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process.”

Chark, who signed with Carolina in March after spending the 2022 season in Detroit, said “I think sometimes there’s confusion with DraftKings ... If we can all come to an agreement of what these rules are, which I think the NFL has been trying to explain — I think this whole gambling thing is very new. So I think it might take a while to get the wrinkles out.”

Last month, the league office reinforced its gambling policy to players. League officials will visit team facilities to elaborate on the NFL’s gambling policy. The visits will feature an emphasize on six rules: don’t bet on the NFL; don’t gamble at your team facility, while traveling for a road game or staying at a team hotel; don’t have someone bet for you; don’t share team “insider information”; don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season; don’t play daily fantasy football.