Lions defensive back C.J. Moore was on of five players suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy. Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
Three NFL players were suspended indefinitely Friday for betting on NFL games in the 2022 season, while two other players, including the 12th overall draft pick a year ago, received six-game suspensions for betting on non-NFL games at a league facility.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus, Lions safety C.J. Moore and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney are sidelined for the entire 2023 season and may petition for reinstatement afterward.
Lions wide receivers Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams each received a six-game suspension, though they will be able to participate in all offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games. Their suspensions will start at the final roster cutdown.
The NFL said that a “league review uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way.”
Gambling incidents have been relatively rare for the NFL. Most recently, wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season for gambling on NFL games; he was later traded from Atlanta to Jacksonville and was reinstated. In November 2019, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Josh Shaw was suspended for gambling on an NFL game; he has not played in the league since.
The Lions immediately released Cephus, who caught 37 passes in three seasons, and Moore, who started one game in four years.
Detroit Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes said the two “exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules.”
Williams was the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft but he played in just six games after returning from knee surgery. Alliance Sports, which represents Williams, said in a statement the player is “apologetic to the NFL, his teammates and the fans and city of Detroit.” It also noted Williams’ suspension was for 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.”
Berryhill played in four games without a catch in his only season. Holmes said the Lions will work with both Berryhill and Williams “to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward.”
Toney started one game in two seasons with the Commanders, who said they have “cooperated fully with the NFL’s investigation since receiving notice and support the league’s findings and actions.”
With the rise of sports betting across the U.S., some pro teams have a sportsbook in their stadiums — like the Washington Nationals (MLB) and the Phoenix Suns (NBA) as well as the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Others, like the Arizona Cardinals, have a sportsbook on the grounds of the stadium and many fans bet on their phones while attending games. Sports betting ads also permeate breaks during NFL games.
The NFL, along with other pro leagues, this week formed the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising, a group described as a voluntary alliance to control how consumers see advertising and to rein in “excessive” advertising.
BILLS: Place-kicking in Buffalo’s swirling winds and wintry conditions is daunting enough for Tyler Bass to not become complacent after signing a four-year, $21 million contract extension with the Bills.
The 26-year-old can also draw on his past, and the challenges Bass overcame as being a walk-on at Georgia Southern, to keep him motivated.
“I’m never going to forget that. I’m still going to grind,” Bass said during a conference call. “It’s just a little bit relieving, you know, you have a little bit of security. But at the end of the day, you still got to work. That’s what got me here, that’s what I’m going keep doing as best I can.”
The Bills placed their faith in Bass by locking him up through 2027 a year before his rookie contract expired. Selected in the sixth round of the 2020 draft, Bass has established himself as one of the NFL’s more reliable kickers despite playing in the inclement conditions near Lake Erie.
With 405 points, Bass ranks third among players since entering the league in 2020, trailing only Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson (431 points) and Baltimore’s Justin Tucker (409). Bass already ranks eighth on the team’s career list, and became Buffalo’s first player to score at least 120 points in three separate seasons, including a franchise-record 141 as a rookie.
BROWNS: General Manager Andrew Berry is monitoring the legal situation of defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, who remains on the roster following his arrest last week on a misdemeanor assault charge.
Winfrey, a fourth-round draft pick in 2022 from Oklahoma with disciplinary issues as a rookie, was arrested in Texas on April 12. He was accused of causing “bodily injury” to a woman he was dating.
The 22-year-old Winfrey remains free on bond and attended the Browns’ voluntary offseason program this week.
Citing the pending legal matter, Berry wouldn’t comment specifically about Winfrey’s case during his pre-draft availability on Friday. However, Berry confirmed Winfrey remains part of the team.
“We haven’t made any changes in terms of his roster status or anything like that,” Berry said.
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