The National Football League is allowing a handful of players who were suspended last year for sports betting, including wagers that were placed on the league’s games, to return to the field.
NFL insiders reported on Thursday that the league reinstated Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney as well as four players who are free agents: defensive end Rashod Berry, wide receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore, and defensive end Demetrius Taylor.
Cephus, Moore, and Toney were suspended last year indefinitely, albeit for at least the 2023 season, after the NFL found they wagered on the league's games during the previous season. They were allowed to apply for reinstatement at the end of the 2023-24 NFL season.
Berry and Taylor were also suspended indefinitely last year for wagering on NFL games during the 2022-23 season. They were likewise able to apply for reinstatement following the 2023-24 campaign.
NFL officially reinstated today Washington Commanders’ Shaka Toney and free agents Rashod Berry, Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore, and Demetrius Taylor. The players, who were suspended for the 2023 season for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, may participate in all team activities… https://t.co/Hz70JTjiIj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 18, 2024
The reinstatements are another sign of the times for the NFL and professional sports across the U.S. The increased availability of sports wagering, including in states where NFL teams are located, means it is not just fans who can wager. However, the NFL, despite its partnerships with sportsbook operators, maintains the integrity of the game remains paramount, and disciplined nine players last year alone for gambling-related activities.
The NFL updated its gambling policy last year to provide it with harsher penalties for some violations and for flexibility with others. One violation the NFL made clear would incur a severe penalty is if a player wagers on a game involving their team, which the league said would result in a minimum suspension of two years.
That could explain the absence of one name from Thursday’s news, that of Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Isaiah Rodgers, whose indefinite suspension was announced along with Berry and Taylor last year. Rodgers allegedly placed bets on Indianapolis Colts games while still a member of the team, which would be worth a two-year ban under the league’s refreshed rules.
