The NFL announced Friday that it has indefinitely suspended three players — Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore of the Detroit Lions and Shaka Toney of the Washington Commanders — for betting on league games in the 2022 season, while two others received a six-game suspension.
NFL Indefinitely Suspends Three Players for Placing Bets on Season Games
According to the NFL, all three players would be suspended at least until the end of the 2023 season and will be able to request reinstatement after the season ends. Shortly after the NFL’s announcement, the Lions announced that Cephus and Moore had been retired.
In addition, Lions Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams were suspended for the team’s first six regular-season games in 2023 for violating betting policy, the NFL announced.
“Upon a league review, no evidence was found to indicate that insider information was used or that any game was compromised in any way,” an NFL statement said.
A spokesperson for the Commanders told CNN it was aware of Toney’s suspension and that the team “fully cooperated with the NFL’s investigation since receiving the notice and supported the league’s findings and actions.”
The Lions said Berryhill and Williams’ suspensions are “for other violations of gambling policy, including betting from an NFL facility on non-NFL games.”
“As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that some of our players had violated the league’s betting policy,” Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes said in a statement.
“These players demonstrated decisions that are not consistent with our organizational values and violate league rules. We have made the decision to let Quintez and C.J. go immediately,” the statement said.
“We are disappointed by the decisions Stanley and Jameson made and will work with both players to make sure they understand the seriousness of these violations and have clarity about league rules going forward.”
Berryhill and Williams are eligible to participate in all preseason and off-season activities, including preseason games. The suspensions will take effect when the final headcount is reduced.
The NFL’s betting policy prohibits anyone in the league from engaging in any form of betting at any club or league facility or venue, including practice facilities.
