After being suspended for the entire 2022 season, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley became eligible on Wednesday to apply for reinstatement.
Well, the former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver wasted no time.
“#Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley, who was suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games during the 2021 season, is applying for reinstatement today, source said,” tweeted NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. “He was suspended for all of the 2022 season and is eligible to petition for reinstatement today.
Ridley, who lost the entire 2022 season after violating the NFL’s gambling policy, was traded to the Jaguars in exchange for draft compensation. The conditions on what was originally a 2024 fourth-round pick are unlike anything the league has seen before. With Ridley applying for reinstatement Wednesday, it could shed some further clarity on what the Falcons could potentially be receiving.
Ridley acknowledged placing $1,500 in bets while he was with the Falcons during the 2021 season. Funny enough, the former Falcon was suspended for gambling on the team to beat… the Jaguars.
Ridley hasn’t played a full NFL season since 2020, in which he caught 90 passes for 1,374 with nine receiving touchdowns. He played just five games in 2021, as he took an extended leave of absence from the team to deal with mental health concerns.
The NFL world reacted to the star wide receiver’s big move on Twitter.
The #Jaguars acquired Calvin Ridley on a 1 year, $11.1M salary which is now non-guaranteed due to his 2022 suspension.
Ridley has officially applied for reinstatement today, putting him on track to join Christian Kirk & Zay Jones as notable weapons for Trevor Lawrence in 2023.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) February 15, 2023
[Ian Rapoport, ProFootballTalk]