5 NFL Players Who Have Been Suspended For Gambling
The NFL has suspended Calvin Ridley for the entire 2022 season for betting on NFL games last year.
It’s shocking news, and the most high-profile case of a pro player getting punished for betting in quite some time. However, there’s past precedent.
As noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Ridley became the fifth NFL player suspended for gambling.
NFL Players Suspended for Gambling:
⁰🏈1963 Alex Karras ⁰🏈1963 Paul Hornung ⁰🏈1983 Art Schlichter ⁰🏈2019 Josh Shaw ⁰🏈2022 Calvin Ridley— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2022
Perhaps the two most high-profile cases before Ridley, Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for the entire 1963 season for betting on NFL games.
Hornung, nicknamed “Golden Boy,” had won the 1956 Heisman Trophy and 1961 NFL MVP. After returning in 1964, the former No. 1 pick won two more championships with Green Bay before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Karras, a four-time Pro Bowler, starred in Blazing Saddles and Webster after his suspension. Upon returning to the league, he refused to call a coin toss because he’s “not permitted to gamble.” Karras recently made the Hall of Fame in 2020, eight years after passing away.
A gambling addiction, meanwhile, derailed Art Schlichter’s career. The former Indianapolis Colts quarterback was released from prison last year after serving time for federal fraud charges.
The latest suspension before Ridley, former cornerback Josh Shaw hasn’t played in the NFL since getting reinstated in early 2021.
Of course, there are some highly notable cases outside of football. MLB all-time hits leader Pete Rose continues to serve a lifelong ban for betting on baseball games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. And eight men, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, got permanently kicked out for throwing the 1919 World Series. All of them remain ineligible for the Hall of Fame.
None of those past incidents came while the general public could open up an app and legally place bets in most states. And the NFL wasn’t partners with those gambling operators in 1963.
With that said, it’d be surprising if this list doesn’t grow over the years.
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