The NFL handed down lengthy suspensions to four players, including a former Patriots prospect, on Thursday due to gambling violations.
The league announced that Rashod Berry and Isaiah Rodgers of the Indianapolis Colts and free agent Demetrius Taylor are being suspended indefinitely through at least the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season for betting on NFL games last year. All three players have to petition for reinstatement at the end of the 2023 season.
Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans is being suspended for the first six games of this upcoming season due to betting on non-NFL sports at the Titans facility. He’s eligible to participate in offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games.
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After the league announced the news, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they had cut both Berry and Rodgers.
“We have made the following roster moves as a consequence of the determination that these players violated the league’s gambling policy,” said Colts General Manager Chris Ballard. “The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance. As an organization we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations.”
Berry is a name that Patriots fans might remember. He signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Ohio State. He was waived after his first training camp and signed to the team’s practice squad. An outside linebacker, Berry made his NFL debut for the Patriots that season, playing in three games, making one tackle.
The Patriots ultimately cut Berry again the next offseason, in 2021, and he signed with the Detroit Lions. He appeared in five games with Detroit, making three total tackles, that season.
With the rise of sports betting in the nation, the NFL has attempted to lay down a heavy hand for player violations. Over the last two seasons, the league has now suspended seven players for at least one entire season. Those violations are for betting on the NFL.
The league has also suspended three total players for policing non-NFL bets at a workplace facility.
The Patriots haven’t been hit with any gambling violations by the NFL. This offseason, players said that Bill Belichick ran a meeting where he went over the league’s gambling policy in detail.
“Bill Belichick actually talked about that in very large detail,” defensive lineman Deatrich Wise said. “He always tells us what we need to do, what we need to stay away from and we had a whole meeting just about that. We do a good job of learning from coach Belichick.”
“I know the rules,” added Kyle Dugger. “We had a meeting and went over it.”