Sean Payton draws gun policy parallels as $18,000,000 Broncos HC rips gambling in NFL - "Shame on us"
Sean Payton is seething after seeing Denver Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike suspended for the entirety of the 2023 season because of violating NFL's policy on gambling.
While he's not excusing the player, the coach finds the lack of explanation from the league regarding the policy inexcusable. The Broncos player is the 10th player to suspended since April due to gambling activity. Payton said:
“When you have a bunch of players getting D’s, you have to start looking at the message. And we’ve had a lot of D’s in our league this year with this policy... Shame on us... 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.”
In fact, Sean Payton has been critical of the way the policy has been explained to players even before the latest suspension.
He said that he never bothered with what the NFL sent to teams and instead asked Mark Thewes, the team’s vice president of football operations and compliance, to provide a more streamlined version the team's staff and players could understand.
He summarized it by drawing parallels to the gun policy:
“You can’t bet on NFL football, ever, ever, ever. I don’t give a (expletive) what it is. The other thing is: it's the same as the gun policy. You can’t bet on nothing if you’re at your facility, your hotel, your airplane.
"So, wherever you can’t carry a gun, you can’t place a bet... You can’t bring a gun to the parking lot…the team hotel…to training camp…to the stadium."
Payton further broke down the rule into two parts. The first is that an NFL player cannot bet on any games in the league, no matter their location. Secondly, a player can bet on other things but not while on league facilities. 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.”
For Eyioma Uwazurike, it’s not only 1-year minimum length of suspension but timing. He misses not only 2023 season but entire 2024 offseason.
This is a raw DL talent who needs continued development. Even if reinstated next July 24, he’s way behind for 2024. #9sports
Sean Payton blames hypocritical league and owners in latest salvo
Sean Payton also said that, while he has explained the details to players, the whole situation reeks of hypocrisy:
“I know this: There’s a handful of owners that are owning these ‘problems’. A player can’t have a share of DraftKings or FanDuel. It’s shameful. Embarrassing.”
Broncos coach Sean Payton has made it clear he's no fan of the NFL's gambling policy, suggesting it is misguided and hypocritical. usatoday.com/story/sports/n…
Having been suspended as New Orleans Saints coach during the Bountygate scandal, it's not surprising that Sean Payton has strong opinions about NFL protocols.