Falcons receiver Ridley suspended for betting on games
ATLANTA — For endangering the integrity of the sport by betting on games, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended by the NFL for at least the next season.
Ridley won’t play in 2022 and there is no guarantee for the NFL future of the player who had been expected to be the Falcons’ top target for quarterback Matt Ryan.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday suspended Ridley after a league investigation determined Ridley bet on NFL games in 2021 while away from the team addressing mental health concerns. The league says the suspension will carry “through at least the conclusion of the 2022 season.”
The NFL says the betting took place during a five-day period in late November 2021. Ridley was placed on the non-football illness list following Week 8 last season, which ended Nov. 1.
Ridley wrote on his Twitter account on Monday “I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem.”
He also seemed to take a light-hearted approach to his suspension when he added in another post “I know I was
wrong But I’m getting 1 year lol.” He also said “Just gone be more healthy when I come back.”
A league investigation uncovered no evidence inside information was used or that any game was compromised by Ridley’s betting, Goodell’s announcement said. Nor was there evidence suggesting Falcons coaches, players or staff were aware of Ridley’s betting activity.
Ridley can petition for reinstatement after Feb. 23, 2023.
Even before the suspension, Ridley’s future with the Falcons was in doubt. He sat out the final two months of the season after he was a last-minute scratch before the team’s 19-13 loss to Carolina on Oct. 31.
On that day, Ridley explained his absence when he wrote on his Twitter account “I need to step away from football at this time and focus on my mental well being.”
Ridley had posted no update on his Twitter account until Friday, when he posted an icon of a football and added “is life.” On Sunday, he added another update “I learn from my Ls.”
The Falcons’ 2018 first-round draft pick had 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. Ridley was expected to be Ryan’s top playmaker after Julio Jones was traded to Tennessee before the 2021 season. But Ridley had only 31 receptions for 281 yards and two touchdowns in his shortened season.
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The Cleveland Browns have placed a franchise tag for next season on tight end David Njoku, preventing him from hitting the free agent market.
Njoku was one of the few bright spots last season for the Browns, who went 8-9 and missed the playoffs amid massive expectations. The 25-yearold caught 35 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns in 2021.
Longtime Colts TE Doyle plans to retire
Longtime Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle is retiring, the team announced Monday.
The 31-year-old Doyle played all 131 games of his nine-year career with his hometown team. His down-to-earth demeanor made him one of the locker room’s most respected players and even prompted a teammate to wear a T-shirt with four playing cards featuring Doyle’s face and the phrase “Jack of all trades.”
Odds and ends
The 49ers announced several changes to coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff, with Brian Schneider being hired as special teams coordinator and Bobby Slowik and Chris Foerster sharing the offensive coordinator duties. … Panthers owner David Tepper has paused construction on the team’s $800 million practice facility in Rock Hill, S.C., citing concerns over a lack of funding from the city needed to complete the project’s infrastructure. … The Colts established the Tony Dungy Diversity Fellowship to advance the opportunities for football coaching candidates. … The Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are moving from prime time to Saturday afternoon in August.