Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended by the NFL on Monday for gambling on games when he was away from the team during the 2021 season.
Ridley’s infraction took place during a five-day period in late November, according to an NFL statement released Monday. The Falcons wideout previously had taken a leave of absence from the organization to focus on his mental health, and that lasted through the end of the season, explaining why Ridley was not with the team.
Ridley took to Twitter to clear up any questions and address his year-long suspension for the first time less than a half hour after the news broke.
“I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem,” Ridley initially shared.
Ridley followed up with: “I couldn’t even watch football at that point.”
Ridley, a former first-rounder who played just five games during the 2021 season, now will continue to remain away from the field. He last played in Week 6 on Oct. 24.
“Just gone be more healthy when I come back,” Ridley tweeted Monday.
Ridley, 27, was speculated to be a trade target for multiple NFL teams, including the New England Patriots, this offseason. His suspension now puts those talks on hold for at least a year.
“I know I was wrong but I’m getting 1 year lol,” Ridley tweeted in a fourth post about 40 minutes after his first tweet.
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