NFL Drops Massive Suspensions on Five Players for Polarizing Violation

This is the first such suspension in the NFL since Calvin Ridley in March 2022.

The NFL continues to hammer down on sports gambling violations among its players.

Three players have been suspended indefinitely while another two were suspended for six games for violating the league’s gambling policy, the NFL announced on Friday.

The three players suspended indefinitely are Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore of the Detroit Lions, and Shaka Toney of the Washington Commanders. The minimum suspension they will serve will be until the conclusion of the 2023-24 NFL season. Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams, both from the Lions, have been suspended for six games.

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According to NFL Network’s national insider Ian Rapoport, the three players with indefinite suspensions are believed to have gambled on NFL games. The other two players were said to have gambled on college games, but did so within NFL facilities, which is still a violation of league rules.

The indefinite suspensions are akin to the March 2022 suspension of wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The Jacksonville Jaguar was reinstated in March after serving a full season suspension. Ridley was a member of the Atlanta Falcons when he received the suspension but was traded to Jacksonville in February.

Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes announced shortly after that the team released the two indefinitely suspended players.

“These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules,” Holmes said. “We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately.”

Berryhill and Williams will remain with the Lions and are permitted to participate in offseason and preseason activities, and the suspensions will have to be served after rosters are finalized.

The Commanders, who are currently in the middle of a potential franchise sale, also released a statement, but did not let go of Toney unlike the Lions.

“We have cooperated fully with the NFL’s investigation since receiving notice and support the league’s findings and actions,” the statement read. 

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