Five NFL players hit with gambling bans
Four Detroit Lions players, including 2022 first-round draft pick Jameson Williams, and Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney have been suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, the league announced Friday.
Williams and fellow wide receiver Stanley Berryhill were suspended for six games, while the other two Lions, safety C.J. Moore, and receiver Quintez Cephus, along with Toney, were suspended indefinitely, through at least the end of the 2023 season.
Cephus, Moore and Toney were all suspended for betting on NFL games.
“A league review uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way,” the league said in a statement.
Williams and Berryhill bet on college football games — which is technically allowed — but they did so at a team facility, leading to their sixgame bans.
The Lions announced shortly after the suspensions were assessed that they had released Cephus and Moore.
“These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said in a statement. “We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately. We are disappointed by the decision making demonstrated by Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward.”
The suspensions came as star Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley just finished up a year-long suspension for allegedly placing bets worth around $1,500 on NFL games. Ridley was employed by the Falcons at the time, but was away from the team.
Lions’ players weren’t the only members of the organization
to get caught up in the scandal. Several of the team’s staffers were fired from the club in March for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
Personnel “in various departments were dismissed
last month” by the Lions, according to ESPN, though individuals and sectors within the organization were not specified.
Both players and personnel are barred from betting on NFL games, according to league policy, in addition to the draft or other NFL-centric entities. Bets on other sports may not be placed while at a team facility or when traveling for business.
Williams, 22, was the most notable player suspended.
The Lions traded up to No. 12 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft to select the former Alabama wide receiver, who suffered a torn ACL during the national championship game and missed a good chunk of the 2022 season. He appeared in just six games and caught one pass — a 41-yard touchdown.
Williams’ agent released a statement on Friday:
“Alliance Sports confirms that its client, Jameson Williams, has been suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy,” the statement read. “Jameson takes full responsibility for his actions and is very apologetic to the NFL, his teammates and the fans and city of Detroit. However, it is important to note that Jameson’s violation was not for betting on football but rather due to a technical rule regarding the actual location in which the online bet was placed — and which would otherwise be allowed by the NFL outside of the club’s facility.
“Jameson would never intentionally jeopardize the integrity of the game he loves so much and looks forward to getting back to his team as soon as possible.”
Cephus appeared in 22 games for the Lions between 2020 and 2022, catching 37 passes for 568 yards and four touchdowns in that span. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 draft out of Wisconsin.
Berryhill appeared in four games, with much of his action being on special teams. Moore, a safety, has bounced between the Lions’ practice squad and main roster, with a stint with the Texans in between. Toney, a seventhround pick in 2021, has logged 1.5 sacks through two seasons in Washington.