Report: Several NFL players expected to receive season-long suspensions for gambling
A myriad of NFL players, including Indianapolis Colts cornerback and special teams ace Isaiah Rodgers, are about to have the book thrown at them for gambling, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter is reporting that Rodgers, along with a handful of other perpetrators, are expected to receive a season-long suspension for allegedly gambling. The league will announce the punishments this week.
“A handful of NFL players, including Colts’ cornerback and kick returner Isaiah Rodgers, are expected to receive season-long suspensions this week for allegedly gambling, sources tell ESPN,” tweeted Schefter.
Earlier this offseason, a report from Sports Handle revealed that a Colts player is being investigated for placing “hundreds of wagers” throughout last season. At the time they did not name the player, but it looks like it was Rodgers doing the deed.
According to Sports Handle, some of the bets placed were on the Colts. Rodgers is still on Indianapolis’ roster, but it remains to be seen what will happen once the news is official.
When the original reports of an investigation came out, Rodgers took to social media to get ahead of the news, where he apologized profusely.
“Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Rodgers wrote. “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 judgement 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.”
According to ESPN, Rodgers placed approximately 100 bets under the name of an associate of his. Majority of the bets were in the $25-50 range, at least one coming in the low four figures, per ESPN.
Rodgers, the Colts’ 2020 sixth-round pick out of Massachusetts, is entering the final year of a four-year, $3.4 million contract.
While Isaiah Rodgers is known, the rest of the players that are set to face discipline remain to be seen. Regardless, it’s another black eye on the league’s issue with gambling, and it’ll be interesting to see if drastic measures are taken moving forward.