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Twitter reacted quickly after the NFL announced the suspension of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley on Monday. Ridley was suspended for at least the 2022 season for betting on NFL games while he was away from the team in 2021.
Ridley had left the team late in October to focus on his mental wellbeing and placed the bets during that time. He said on Twitter he bet a total $1,500, and that reportedly was spread across three parlays, all involving the Falcons.
Twitter reacted with a mix of support, jokes at Ridley’s expense, and derision at the NFL. The NFL was mocked for suspending a player for betting on the game while having multiple betting partnerships. NFL players, however, are prohibited from betting on the NFL.
Twitter Reaction To Calvin Ridley’s NFL Suspension
Former NFL defensive back Ryan Clark, now an analyst for ESPN, took the NFL to task over its suspension of Ridley. He compared the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Commanders to its actions against Ridley.
The NFL has refused to release all of the findings of its investigation into the actions of executives with the Commanders in the wake of an investigation into the team’s culture.
https://twitter.com/Realrclark25/status/1500956677994123266
The Falcons tweeted a link to a story on their website, which included this statement: “We were first made aware of the league’s investigation on Feb. 9. We have cooperated fully with the investigation since receiving notice and support the league’s findings and actions. We are moving forward in the 2022 season with the decision that was made. With the decision that was made by the NFL, any further questions on the investigation should be directed to the league office.”
Team statement on the NFL investigation of Calvin Ridley. https://t.co/dzbRCPRlmR
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) March 7, 2022
Rodger Sherman of The Ringer thinks Ridley made some of the worst bets imaginable (In reality, Ridley’s base salary for 2022 was going to be $11.1 million, so the odds are worse than Sherman suspected).
Calvin Ridley bet $1500 and lost $10 million, those are the worst odds in gambling history
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 7, 2022
Jason Wolf, a sports enterprise reporter and columnist at The Buffalo News, pointed out that NFL players have been suspended for far fewer games following domestic violence incidents. Wolf says it’s all about the NFL’s desire to protect its partnerships with the sports betting industry.
https://twitter.com/JasonWolf/status/1500962523251720198
New York Jets defensive end John Franklin-Myers disagreed with the decision. Like Ridley, Franklin-Myers was a member of the 2018 NFL Draft class.
No way @CalvinRidley1 should be suspended a year for that, NFL is dead wrong for that harsh of a penalty.
— John Franklin-Myers (@J_FranklinMyers) March 7, 2022
Marcus Spears, a former NFL defensive end with the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens, and now an ESPN analyst, tweeted that the penalty is harsh, but he understands what went into the decision.
https://twitter.com/mspears96/status/1500951359755014148
Emmanuel Acho, another former NFL player turned TV talking head, has a different take on what the league’s rules around players betting should be:
You should be allowed to bet on #NFL games as a player, the rule should be you can only bet on your team to win. #CalvinRidley pic.twitter.com/G4tyelHyFH
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) March 7, 2022
John Breech, an NFL writer for CBS Sports jokingly suggests that the NFL’s official betting partners will try to cash in on Ridley’s suspension.
NFL: Calvin Ridley has been suspended for at least a year.
NFL gambling partners in like 3 hours: You can now BET on the exact date that Calvin Ridley will be reinstated
— John Breech (@johnbreech) March 7, 2022
Journalist Albert Breer (MMQB, NBC Sports Boston) doesn’t understand those who question the need for a suspension.
I see people painting Calvin Ridley as the victim here … and I mean, come on, we all understand why a sports league can't allow its players to bet on its games, right? And why it has to come down on a player if it happens?
I swear, it's not that complicated.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 7, 2022
Also read: 903 games suspected of betting corruption, match-fixing
