Anticipated Season-Long Suspension for Indianapolis Colts Defensive Back Isaiah Rodgers Sr.
Titanic cornerback, Isaiah Rodgers Sr., is seemingly about to join an exclusive NFL club, supposedly facing a seasons-long ban due to a sports betting debacle, according to insider scoops from ESPN.
Rodgers, a fourth-year defensive back from the University of Massachusetts, admitted to opting for less-than-smart decisions via an Instagram post on June 5, following Sports Handle's bombshell report detailing a suspicious betting pattern within the Colts' locker room. The bets supposedly encompassed wagers on the Colts winning, as per a reliable source privy to the betting operations. ESPN later confirmed that Rodgers was the player at the heart of the scandal.
When Sports Handle reached out to an NFL spokesperson on June 8, they declined to comment on the impending suspensions.
In line with NFL rules, footballers are forbidden from participating in sports gambling within a club or league facility, on team transportation, hotel accommodations, or inside a venue, team plane, or bus. For active NFL players, wagering on NFL action is a no-go, regardless of location.
Rodgers is purportedly responsible for at least 100 wagers, with the majority falling within the range of $25 to $50, according to ESPN. One of the reported bets exceeded four figures. Sources assert that Rodgers made the wagers on a friend's account.
Prior to this scandal, Sports Illustrated classified Rodgers as the Colts' hidden gem. Had he showcased top-flight performance in his contract year, Rodgers could have found himself inking a multi-year deal worth around $10 million annually, the article proposed.
Wagering in the Wake of the PASPA Decision
Since the Supreme Court's PASPA decision in 2018 that paved the way for widespread sports wagering legalization, seven NFL players have encountered disciplinary actions for sports betting violations.
In 2019, Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw was hit with an indefinite suspension for a series of bets, which he allegedly placed while convalescing in a Las Vegas casino. Shaw's punishment eventually ended when he served a 21-game suspension and was reinstated in March 2021.
Atlanta Falcons alum Calvin Ridley, currently playing wide receiver for the Jaguars, holds the title of the most recognizable player to fall under the NFL's sports betting scrutiny. Ridley, a 2020 second-team All Pro, sat out the entire 2022 season following a gambling leave of absence during the 2021 campaign.
More recently, four Lions players and Washington Commanders defensive lineman Shaka Toney were suspended in April for breaking betting regulations. Jets wide receiver coach Miles Austin and an anonymous staff member from another NFL team have also been suspended for gambling infractions.
The Athletic suggested in late May that another Lions player from the 2022-23 roster might be under discrete NFL investigation for possible sports betting policy breaches.
- Isaiah Rodgers Sr., a defensive back from the University of Massachusetts and a cornerback in the NFL, is reportedly facing a seasons-long ban due to a sports betting scandal.
- Rodgers admitted to making questionable decisions in an Instagram post on June 5, following a report by Sports Handle detailing a suspicious betting pattern within the Colts' locker room.
- ESPN later confirmed that Rodgers was at the center of the sports betting scandal, with Rodgers reportedly responsible for at least 100 wagers.
- The NFL has strict rules against football players participating in sports gambling, prohibiting such activities within club or league facilities, on team transportation, in hotels, or inside venues, team planes, or buses.
- For active NFL players, wagering on NFL action is forbidden, regardless of location.
- Rodgers' wagers, which mostly ranged from $25 to $50, but included one over four figures, were supposedly made on the Colts winning, as per a reliable source.
- Since the Supreme Court's PASPA decision in 2018, seven NFL players have encountered disciplinary actions for sports betting violations.
- Calvin Ridley, a wide receiver for the Jaguars and former Falcons alum, holds the title of the most recognizable player to face NFL sports betting scrutiny, having sat out the entire 2022 season following a gambling leave of absence during the 2021 campaign.
