The NFL dropped the hammer down on young Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, three of his teammates and a Washington Commanders player Friday morning with a stunning piece of information.
Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore joined Commanders edge rusher Shaka Toney in being suspended indefinitely for actually betting on NFL games. Said suspensions will last at least a calendar year with the three being able to apply for reinstatement then.
Williams and fellow Lions pass-catcher Stanley Berryhill were suspended six games for betting on sports within the team facility, a violation of the NFL gambling policy.
“The NFL confirmed today that three players have been indefinitely suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy. Two others were each suspended six games,” the NFL said in a statement. “A league review uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way.”
According to Kyle Meinke of MLive, C.J. Moore and Quintez Cephus allegedly bet on football games. Hence, why they were suspended indefinitely. Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill did not bet on NFL games. However, they did place bets on college football games within the Lions’ facility.
The NFL sought to educate players after then-Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season.
In the case of Jameson Williams and Berryhill, they did not bet on NFL games. Instead, they were found to be in violation of league policy for placing bets on college football games while inside an NFL facility.
“Alliance Sports confirms that its client, Jameson Williams, has been suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Jameson takes full responsibility for his actions and is very apologetic to the NFL, his teammates and the fans and city of Detroit.
However, it is important to note that Jameson’s violation was not for betting on football but rather due to a technical rule regarding the actual location in which the online bet was placed – and which would otherwise be allowed by the NFL outside of the club’s facility.”
Statement from Jameson Williams’ agents over at Alliance Sports
Immediately after news of their suspensions broke, the Lions released Cephus and Moore. Another report indicated that some Lions staffers were also found in violation of the gambling policy. They were fired last month.
Impact of Jameson Williams suspension, Quintez Cephus release
There is definitely an on-field component to this. Detroit is seen as a team prepared to take that next step and dominate the NFC North next season. It is now without two wide receivers for six games and released another.
Obviously, the big name here is Williams.
He was the No. 12 overall pick of the Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft, missing the first six games due to a torn ACL he suffered at Alabama.
As for Cephus, he was a fifth-round pick back in 2020 and has put up 37 receptions for 567 yards in three seasons. The Wisconsin product appeared in just four games last season.
An undrafted free agent out of Arizona, Berryhill played primarily on special teams in four games with the Lions last season. Meanwhile, Moore spent his first four seasons in the NFL with Detroit, appearing in 56 games (one start) while also being primarily a special teams player.
As a breaking story, we will have more information once it becomes available.