The NFL suspended five players Friday for violations of the league’s gambling policy, including four Detroit Lions and one Washington Commanders athlete.
Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney and Detroit Lions players Jameson Williams, Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore and Stanley Berryhill are suspended.
Cephus and Moore were suspended indefinitely — at least for an entire season — and were released by the Lions. Toney was also suspended indefinitely but remains on the team.
Williams and Berryhill were given six game suspensions.
NFL prohibits players from betting on games in the league during its seasons, which the five players did during the last season, according to the league.
The set of suspensions signals an increased policing of gambling by players. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley served a season-long suspension last year for violating the league gambling policy. Ridley is back with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season and is playing for the first time in two years.
Williams, a 2022 first round pick, was expected to be a significant part of the Lions’ offense this season after recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the College Football Playoff in 2021. Williams was quiet in the six games he played last season.
Toney has played two seasons for the Commanders off the bench. He appeared in 16 games last year for the team, mostly in special teams.
“We have been made aware of the suspension of Shaka Toney,” the team said in a statement. “We have cooperated fully with the NFL’s investigation since receiving notice and support the league’s findings and actions.”
The NFL has increasingly advertised itself as a gambling product, partnering with sports betting apps and quietly encouraging the growth of the sports betting market.
The league’s revenue is expected to increase by $2.3 billion per year due to sports betting becoming more widely legal and available, according to a study from the American Gaming Association (AGA).
The AGA analysis believes that sports betting will increase ticket sales, make media rights more valuable, and open up lucrative advertising opportunities for teams and the league itself.
Sports betting is also expected to inflate the value of team franchises. The Washington Commanders are being sold for a sum near $6 billion, according to reports. That would make the team the most valuable franchise sale in sports history.