The NFL announced in April that four Detroit Lions players were suspended and multiple team staffers were fired for violating the league’s gambling policy. Now, Detroit is being investigated for a second time over violations of gambling rules.
Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill suspended six games for placing a bet on a non-NFL game while he was still at the team’s headquarters. In addition, teammates Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games and released by the Lions.
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Williams told reporters this past week that he wasn’t aware of the NFL’s rules against gambling. It’s been a point of emphasis from the league office after year-long suspensions for Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley in recent years.
However, as the NFL attempts to crack down on the problem to avoid a bigger scandal, it now appears the Lions’ gambling issues may go even further than the league realized.
According to Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic, te NFL is investigating a fifth Lions player for potential violation of the gambling policy. While the player’s name hasn’t been released, Kahler reported that the unidentified person hasn’t met with the NFL yet and was not a prominent member of the Lions’ core last season.
If the NFL’s investigation determines the unidentified Lions’ player either gambled on football games or placed bets on non-NFL games from team headquarters, there will be significant fallout.
Related: NFL investigating ‘second wave’ of player gambling violations
The new precedent is that any league member who bets on NFL games is suspended indefinitely and will miss at least one season. If a player bets on non-NFL contests but the wager is placed on league or team grounds, they would receive a six-game suspension.
However, it will still raise questions regarding the Lions’ organization. While several teams have had a single player suspended for violating the gambling policy, Detroit could be on the verge of having a fifth player suspended.
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Williams’ admission that he didn’t know about the NFL’s gambling rules would also generate concerns about the Lions’ culture. The league expects teams to prepare their players, especially those entering the league, about rules that exist to protect the NFL’s integrity and business.
If five Lions’ players and multiple staffers were involved in violating one of the NFL’s most important rules, it could lead to increased scrutiny of Detroit and the NFL potentially investigating the team’s culture and teaching.
