How the NFL’s two-pronged gambling education strategy is keeping players on the field

CBS Sports | American Football | 09/18/2025

Photo: Getty Images

As investigations and suspensions mount across other professional sports, the NFL has enjoyed a quiet two years

By Jonathan Jones

In March of 2022, the NFL suspended receiver Calvin Ridley, then considered one of the best players in the league, for the entire season for betting on NFL games. In 2023, 10 more players — headlined by Lions WR Jameson Williams — were suspended for running afoul of the league’s rules on sports betting. A crisis was brewing.

Since then, nary a player has been suspended by the league as investigations and suspensions continue to stack up across other professional sports and the college ranks.

The NFL believes there are two major reasons for that. First, the league, along with the NFL Players Association, trimmed some of the fat on sports gambling restrictions that could be confusing at times. Perhaps more importantly, the league enlisted the help of former players to talk to the current ones.

“I think that we’ve really just kind of really tried to put our arms around making sure that the content we present and who is presenting this is most meaningful,” said Sabrina Perel, the NFL’s chief compliance officer. “And that [the players] have the opportunity to ask questions if they do have questions.

“I think it’s bigger picture — we really work with everybody in the industry: the regulators, the operators. And everyone is so laser focused on protecting integrity.”

Eighteen former players took part in the gambling education process this offseason, the most ever for the league. Warrick Dunn, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Torry Holt, Chad Pennington and Dante Hall are among the biggest names from the NFL Legends Community that took part in the education this preseason across all 32 teams.