Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rogers was suspended for the season and subsequently cut by the team this week. ESPN confirmed Rogers’s suspension for betting on NFL games along with three other players. Earlier this month, Rogers confirmed he had violated league policy but it was unclear who else might have been involved and what the punishment would be.
In addition to Rogers, three other players were named by the league as having broken the rules around gambling.
The new names on the list are fellow Colts player, defensive end Rashod Berry, defensive tackle and former Detroit Lions practice squad player Demetrius Taylor, and Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere.
Like Rogers, Taylor and Berry wagered on the NFL. Like Rogers, Berry was released by the Colts today. Should the players sign with another time, they face an indefinite suspension of no less than the entire 2023 season.
“The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance. As an organization we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations,” Colts GM Chris Ballard said in a statement.
Petit-Frere, on the other hand, will sit six games for violating the league policy of betting on non-NFL events while at a team facility.
“The betting I engaged in was NOT NFL related and was legal under Tennessee law. It is only being sanctioned because it occurred at the Titans facility. I want to apologize to my family, coaches, teammates, and the Titans fans. I have always strived in every stage of my life to follow the rules. I did not knowingly break the rules. Even after attending a league presentation, I was unaware about the specifics around placing bets from a team facility,” Petit-Frere told ESPN.
While Petit-Frere cannot play in the first six games of the season, he is allowed to remain with the team for training, camp, and can even play in preseason games.
Rogers placed more than 100 bets, including $1,000 on a rushing prop bet involving a Colts running back.
“I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation,” Rodgers wrote. “The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organization, my coaches, and my teammates. I’ve let people down that I care about,” Rogers said in a statement earlier this month.
That brings the number of players punished for betting on NFL games since the repeal of PASPA to six dating back to Calvin Ridley in 2022.
The league recently held a conference call highlighting the core tenets of its gambling policy, including the rule about not betting on any sports while at a team facility.
