After the NFL completed their biggest online gambling crackdown to date, five players have received lengthy suspensions for wagering money. Four of the five players suspended played for the Detroit Lions.
One particular player, former Wisconsin Badgers receiver Quintez Cephus, received a one-year suspension. The Detroit Lions swiftly responded by cutting Cephus from the roster within minutes of the announcement. Cephus will serve his suspension as a free agent for the upcoming NFL season barring any drastic changes.
Detroit Lions Release WR Quintez Cephus Minutes After Suspension
Following the Calvin Ridley suspension last year, the NFL made it clear they wanted their athletes to have no association with gambling. More specifically, the NFL does not want their athletes to wager money on any professional sports, especially their own games. Ridley never bet against his team, and in fact picked them to win when he legally placed a wager. Ridley also placed the wager under his own name, which resulted in the NFL catching him.
In the eyes of the NFL, gambling has no place within the sport and within the league as well. In the case of Cephus and his Lions teammates, there was a major investigation launched that revealed different levels of betting occurring within the team. One player for the Washington Commanders was suspended as well following the investigation. Edge rusher Shaka Toney also received a six game suspension for violating the league gambling policy.
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Lions receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill both received six game suspensions for violating the league policy. One of the violations included betting from within the football facility on non-football athletic events. Currently, the violations committed by Cephus have not been announced yet, but certainly must carry more weight as he and fellow teammate C.J. Moore were released.
Does a Suspension End The Quintez Cehpus NFL Run?
Perhaps the most interesting part of this whole situation is the severity of the actions. Cephus and Moore received double the suspension the other three players involved received. The receiver not only submitted online gambling wagers through an app, but also consistently did so, which may factor into the length of the suspension. More information regarding the situation and the involvement of Cephus will be released soon as the content of the investigation continues to unfold.
Given the severity of the suspension and situation, it seems unlikely at this time that Quintez Cephus will play another game in the NFL. Calvin Ridley, who was just recently reinstated by the NFL, earned a second chance with Jacksonville through his production. Cephus on the other hand has not been as successful at the NFL level, which will factor into his future in the league as well.
The Detroit Lions have already addressed the situation and stayed committed to Williams and Berryhill following the news.
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