After cutting his 2021 season short to focus on his mental health, Calvin Ridley was expected to return to the football field in the fall.
That no longer will be the case.
The NFL on Monday announced Ridley will be suspended for at least the entire 2022 campaign after an investigation revealed the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver gambled on league games this past season. The earliest Ridley can apply for reinstatement is Feb. 15 of next year.
Ridley's lengthy suspension drew a mixed reaction across the sports world. Damien Woody, for one, seemingly believes the punishment is too extreme.
"This whole Calvin Ridley situation doesn't sit well with me," the NFL offensive lineman-turned-analyst tweeted Monday night. "Not excusing what he did at all but considering how the league has fully embraced sports gambling & these owners owning or partnering with these sportsbooks….man."
Ridley sent out five tweets after the news of his suspension broke. The 27-year-old claimed he doesn't have a gambling problem and, like Woody, appeared to be surprised by the severity of the consequences.
