Calvin Ridley suspension for gambling draws ire toward NFL

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season on Monday after an investigation determined he was betting on games.

Ridley, 27, was entering his fifth year with the Falcons. He only played five games during the 2021 season. He had stepped away from the game in October to focus on his mental well-being.

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FILE - Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) makes a catch during the team's NFL training camp football practice Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Flowery Branch, Ga. Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended for the 2022 season for betting on NFL games in the 2021 season. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

While the wide receiver was suspended for violating the league’s rules, not everyone seemed to be satisfied with the length. It didn't appear to sit well with other NFL players and fans.

The NFL said in a statement Ridley was betting on games during a five-day period in November when he was away from the team and on the non-football illness list. The league said no games were compromised as a result of the betting activity.

"There is nothing more fundamental to the NFL's success - and to the reputation of everyone associated with our league - than upholding the integrity of the game. This is the responsibility of every player, coach, owner, game official, and anyone else employed in the league," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Your actions put the integrity of the game at risk, threatened to damage public confidence in professional football, and potentially undermined the reputations of your fellow players throughout the