Isaiah Rodgers Sr. is taking responsibility for the allegations of gambling that have him at the center of an NFL investigation.
The Colts cornerback addressed those concerns Monday night on his Twitter account.
“Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Rodgers Sr. said. “I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organization, my coaches and my teammates. I’ve let people down that I care about.
“I made an error in judgment and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It’s an honor to play in the NFL and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of this.”
The reports Rodgers Sr. referenced started with one from SportsHandle.com that detailed rampant gambling on the part of a Colts player. The Colts and the Indiana Gaming Commission then confirmed to the IndyStar that they were aware of the league’s investigation.
“We are aware of the NFL’s investigation, and we will have no further comment at this time,” the Colts said in a statement.
Said IGC deputy director Jenny Reske: “We have received information pertaining to this matter and we are following developments. The IGC is not the lead agency on this matter, as it involves alleged violations of a league policy at this point. We will, however, continue to review information as it emerges.”
According to the league’s gambling policy, league personnel may not engage in “placing, soliciting or facilitating any bet, whether directly or through a third party,” on any NFL game, practice or other league event, such as the draft or combine.
League personnel are allowed to place legal bets on non-NFL sporting events, but these actions cannot take place from inside a team facility or in the course of conducting team or league business, such as boarding a plane to an event.
A punishment for Rodgers Sr. could be severe, based on precedent. The league suspended Falcons star receiver Calvin Ridley for the entire 2021 season for violating the policy, and it just suspended four Lions players, including first-round wide receiver Jameson Williams, who received a six-game ban.
Rodgers Sr. is entering a critical year for him and the Colts. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract, slated to make $2.74 million, which is now in jeopardy. The former sixth-round pick out of UMass was set to be the team’s No. 1 outside cornerback following Stephon Gilmore’s trade to the Cowboys. He was one of the team’s only veteran outside options after selecting three cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
The 25-year-old has started 10 of his 45 games with the Colts, registering three interceptions. He also served as the team’s kick returner prior to Dallis Flowers taking the job in the second half of last season.