The 26th-overall pick of the 2018 Draftis back. Calvin Ridley was reinstated by the NFL after his suspension for gambling and the wide receiver has now made a bold promise to the Jacksonville Jaguars that is sure to excitetheir fans.
When he was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, Calvin Ridley made a huge mistake. The wide receiver violated thethe league’s gambling policy and the NFL decided to suspend him indefinitely for it.
In 2023, Ridley was able to apply for his reinstatement. He was traded last season to the Jaguars and now the wide receiver made a promise to his new team that shows he’s ready to play.
Calvin Ridley makes bold promise for his first season with Jaguars
Almost five years have passed since Calvin Ridley heard his name during the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was seen as a promising wide receiver, but troubles arrived for him in 2021 that changed his career.
While playing for the Atlanta Falcons, Ridley violated the league’s gambling policy. The NFL reacted immediately and suspended him. He missed the 2022 season with the Jaguars, who traded for him then, but now he’s back and ready to prove what he’s capable of.
“Right now, I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt — mentally and physically,” Ridley wrote on a Players’ Tribune article. “On the field, I’m flying. Believe me, I’m flying. That GPS band don’t lie. On my daughter’s name, if I’m healthy? With Trevor Lawrence? I’m giving Jacksonville 1,400 yards a season, period.
“I want to thank the Jaguars for showing faith in me, and understanding me as a human being who made a mistake. It feels so good to be back home in Florida, where this dream started, with a clean slate. But also I want to make it clear that I don’t have a bad word to say about the Falcons or the city of Atlanta. That’s still my second home, and where my daughter was born. I tried to give y’all everything I had, until the wheels came off. It’s all love, forever.”
Ridley recognized his mistake, which cost him not playing the 2022 season.“I f—ed up,” Ridley wrote. “I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. In 2021, I made the worst mistake of my life by gambling on football.
“I paid the price, believe me. I’ve seen all the jokes. I’ve seen all the hate. And I can shoulder all of that, no problem. All I want is for people to understand that, when I made those bets, there was a hell of a lot more going on with me.”
