New York Jets wide receivers coach Miles Austin found himself in hot water.
On Friday, the NFL issued a minimum one-year suspension to Austin for violating the league’s gambling policy, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Austin will appeal the suspension and the details regarding his gambling role are vague. However, according to Austin’s lawyer, Bill Deni, he didn’t place wagers on NFL games as a coach.
“Miles did not wager on any NFL game in violation of the Gambling Policy for NFL Personnel,” Deni said, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “He has been fully cooperative with the NFL’s investigation. He is appealing his suspension.”
Nevertheless, that doesn’t matter. The NFL’s gambling policy prohibits sports gambling entirely. So regardless of who Austin placed his bets on, he still violated league policy. The NFL, who reportedly investigated Austin’s gambling activity for a while, released a statement of their own.
“The league will have no further comment until that appeal has been resolved,” The NFL’s statement read, according to ESPN.
Austin, a former 10-year NFL veteran, wasn’t present on the sideline with the Jets on Thursday for their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That perhaps was the best punishment considering what all Jets supporters in attendance were subjected to enduring — courtesy of quarterback Zach Wilson.
In 2021, Austin joined forces with head coach Robert Saleh in New York after having coaching stints with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
