"Bet $1,500 total I don’t have a gambling problem" - Calvin Ridley reveals his fight with mental health could be down to addiction
Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley is in a bit of trouble with the NFL. As reported earlier in the day by Adam Schefter, the receiver was suspended for one year after it was revealed that he had been betting on NFL games.
The 27-year-old receiver took to his Twitter page to give further details about what has recently transpired. He posted that he only bet $1,500 and that he doesn't have a gambling problem.
He posted:
"I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem."
I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem
It is not an ideal thing to happen for the Falcons as they lose one of, if not its best, reciever for the entire 2022 NFL season. Ridley had his breakout year in 2020 when he finished the season with 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Last season, the 27-year-old only played five games due to taking time away to deal with his mental health.
Calvin Ridley suspended for one year for gambling problem
News broke today that the receiver had been suspended for a year for gambling on games last NFL season, which included Falcons games. According to Albert Breer, Ridley was in Florida and used a gambling app that is legal in the state. A compliance code company called Genius that was hired by the NFL was then alerted to the bets.
So how did Calvin Ridley get busted? He was in Florida, and used the only gambling app legal in the state. The app notified a compliance company the NFL has hired called Genius for this kind of thing.
That he was out of state was a factor in Ridley's activity being flagged.
The 27-year-old receiver became just the fifth player to be suspended for betting on NFL games. The last one was Josh Shaw in 2019. It is not something that is commonly seen in the NFL.
1963 Alex Karras NFL Players Suspended for Gambling:
🏈1963 Alex Karras
🏈1963 Paul Hornung
🏈1983 Art Schlichter
🏈2019 Josh Shaw
🏈2022 Calvin Ridley
After taking time away from football last season, the 27-year-old revealed via his Twitter account that he could not even watch football at that point as he was struggling with his mental health.
I couldn’t even watch football at that point
The star receiver then followed that tweet up with another and wrote that he simply wants to be healthier when he does make his return to the NFL. This is a sentiment that will likely be shared by many as he goes through his battle.
Just gone be more healthy when I come back
NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that the receiver placed a number of same-game parleys on Falcons games from his mobile phone while he was out of state.
NFL determined that Calvin Ridley placed multi-legged parlay bets involving 3, 5 and 8 games that included the Falcons to win, per source. Investigation determined there was no involvement from any team players, coach etc. placed via his mobile device out of state.
It is not ideal, and Schefter even revealed that several teams were interested in trading for Ridley this offseason, but the Falcons declined to enter any talks, assumingly in good faith as the organization knew what was happening with their receiver.
Multiple NFL teams reached out to the Falcons in recent weeks to inquire about trading for Calvin Ridley, and each time, Atlanta declined to enter into any talks out of good faith, knowing the issues in store for their standout wide receiver, per sources.
With the 27-year-old now out for, at least, the 2022 season, Matt Ryan and the Falcons will have to rework their offense without Ridley. Before a ball has even been thrown in mini-camp, the Atlanta Falcons are already down a star player.