Dez Bryant calls out NFL over package suspension - “Make it make sense”
Dez Bryant is no stranger to the NFL. The former Cowboys wide receiver made millions from the league during his career. However, just because he's caught his last pass for the organization does not mean he has checked out of football. Shortly after news broke that the NFL had suspended almost half a dozen players over betting violations, the wide receiver took to social media to respond.
In a 15-second video recorded somewhere sunny, the wide receiver connected tanking with gambling:
My 2 cents on the gambling situation with athletes https://t.co/DHSYuc9jx1
"So you're telling me the owner suffered no consequences for tanking games and players can lose one year of elegibility for gambling? Make it make sense."
The comments appear to be in reference to a growing sentiment from fans around the country that certain teams attempt to manipulate the results of games to get better draft picks. The worst teams get the best picks, so once it becomes clear that a team won't win big that season, the only incentive left is to get the best NFL prospects next year.
The fastest way to do that is intentionally lose games, which damages the integrity of the sport as much as gambling, according to Bryant's apparent logic.
Who has the NFL suspended and for how long?
According to Ari Meirov on Twitter, the Detroit Lions are the hardest hit based on this news.
The NFL has suspended the following players for betting on games:
#Lions WR Jameson Williams: 6 games
#Lions S CJ Moore: Indefinitely
#Lions WR Quintez Cephus: Indefinitely
#Commanders DE Shaka Toney: Indefinitely
Lions WR Stanley Berryhill: 6 games.
The team will be without wide receivers Jameson Williams, Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill for at least six games. Cephus has been suspended indefinitely along with safety CJ Moore.
In other words, the Detroit Lions could have lost almost 10% of their final 53-man roster in one fell swoop. The Commanders were the only other team affected, with defensive end Shaka Toney suspended indefinitely.
Williams and Berryhill are slated to return in Week 7 at the time of writing. This could change based on when their bye gets assigned later this spring.