It was back in February that former Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Calvin Ridley applied to be reinstated by the NFL.
Now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars following a trade during the 2022 season, Ridley was suspended last March after admitting to placing $1,500 in bets on NFL games during the 2021 season. The suspension was for the entire 2022 campaign.
We now have more information on this. The NFL announced on Monday that it has reinstated Ridley “fully.”
Ridley’s suspension came on March 7 of 2022, meaning that he was suspended for an entire calendar year. At the time of being banned, the former first-round pick from Alabama denied that he had a gambling problem.
From an on-field perspective, this could be some absolutely huge news for the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars. After all, Ridley was in the midst of a great start to his career before the 28-year-old receiver was suspended.
- Calvin Ridley stats (2018-21): 248 receptions, 3,342 yards, 28 TD, 65% catch rate
Ridley recorded 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. He then took some time off during the 2021 season (missed 12 games) before being suspended.
Fresh off an appearance in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the Jaguars seem to have a team capable of competing moving forward. General manager Trent Baalke and Co. acquired Ridley a conditional mid-round pick back in November.
“This is an opportunity to add a proven playmaker to our already talented wide receiver room as we continue to build our roster for 2023 and beyond,” Baalke said back in November on the acquisition of Ridley.
It now looks like young quarterback Trevor Lawrence will have another solid receiving option moving forward after he put up a breakout sophomore campaign in Duval. The hope is that Calvin Ridley’s prior off-field issues are now behind him.