The National Football League announced Thursday it has suspended three players for at least the 2023 season for violating the league's gambling policy, while another received a six-game suspension.
Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, and free agent defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor have been issued indefinite suspensions through the conclusion of the 2023 season at a minimum. Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere will be ineligible for the first six games of the upcoming campaign.
The Colts waived Rodgers and Berry shortly after the NFL's announcement. The two players, along with Taylor, were determined to have placed wagers on NFL games during the 2022 season.
"We have made the following roster moves as a consequence of the determination that these players violated the league's gambling policy," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. "The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance. As an organisation we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations."
Petit-Frere, a 2022 third-round pick who started 16 games at right tackle for the Titans as a rookie, was found to have made bets on other sports at the team facility.
"We have been made aware of Nick's suspension by the league," the Titans said in a statement "We believe in Nick and know that he has deep respect for the integrity of the game and our organisation. We will continue to emphasise to our players the importance of understanding and adhering to league rules and policies."
Rodgers, a cornerback who made nine starts for the Colts last season, issued a statement on June 5 acknowledging his involvement after reports surfaced he was under investigation by the league.
"Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions," he said. "I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organisation, my coaches, and my teammates. I've let people down that I care about.
"I made an error in judgement and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It's an honour to play in the NFL and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of this."
Rodgers was entering his fourth season with the Colts after being selected in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. The 25-year-old appeared in 45 games with 10 starts and had three interceptions in 2021.
The NFL previously suspended five players in April, most notably Detroit Lions 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams, for gambling policy violations. Williams will miss the first six games of next season.
Additionally, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley sat out the entire 2022 season for wagering on NFL games while then a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Ridley, who recorded 90 catches, 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Falcons in 2020, was traded from Atlanta to Jacksonville in November and has since been reinstated by the league.
Giants releasing embattled quarterback Daniel Jones
The Daniel Jones era in New York has officially ended.
The Giants agreed to Jones’ request to be released Friday morning, ending a rocky partnership that lasted nearly six seasons.
Giants president John Mara said in a statement that Jones’ release “would be best for him and for the team.”
“Daniel has been a great representative of our organisation, first class in every way,” Mara said in the statement. “His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out.”
The Giants benched Jones in favour of Tommy DeVito during their bye week. On Thursday, Jones told reporters he takes “full responsibility” for not winning more as the captain of one of the NFL’s signature franchises.
After learning of his new role, however, Jones asked the team to be released.
Jones signed a four-year, $160million contract extension before the 2023 season. Jones will go through the waivers process, but teams are likely unwilling to pay the rest of that contract. If he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
The Giants will absorb a salary cap hit of around $20million by releasing Jones.
Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft and has started 69 games over the last six seasons.
The former Duke quarterback had his best season in a contract year in 2022, throwing 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions and adding 708 yards and seven scores on the ground.
Jones has thrown eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions this season for the 2-8 Giants and ranks 32nd among qualified quarterbacks with a 79.4 passer rating.
Browns score late touchdown to end Steelers' streak in snowy contest
Nick Chubb ran for a 2-yard touchdown in heavy snow with 57 seconds left, and the Cleveland Browns stunned division rival Pittsburgh 24-19 on Thursday night, ending the Steelers' five-game winning streak.
Chubb's score came in his first game against the AFC North-leading Steelers (8-3) since the running back sustained a season-ending left knee injury on a carry last year at Pittsburgh.
The Browns (3-8) had blown a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and were down 19-18 before getting the ball back with 3:22 remaining after Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked a 16-yarder.
With snow piling up and covering the yard lines on the field, Cleveland's Jameis Winston completed a third-down pass to Jerry Jeudy to the Pittsburgh 9. Two plays later, Chubb barrelled into the end zone.
The Steelers had one last chance, but quarterback Russell Wilson's Hail Mary on the final play was knocked down by Browns safety Grant Delpit in the end zone, touching off a wild celebration at Huntington Bank Field.
NFL: Texans bounce back, extend Cowboys' woes
Joe Mixon's 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns helped get the Houston Texans back on track with Monday's 34-10 win over the floundering Dallas Cowboys.
Houston (7-4) snapped a two-game losing streak behind Mixon's powerful running and a defence that sacked Cowboys' fill-in quarterback Cooper Rush five times and forced two turnovers, including a fumble Derek Barnett returned 28 yards for a touchdown that gave the Texans a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter.
Dallas (3-7) has now lost five straight, its longest skid since dropping seven in a row in 2015, and fell to 0-5 at home. The Cowboys have been outscored by 118 points (187-69) at AT&T Stadium, the third-largest negative differential through five home games in a season in NFL history.
Rush did throw a 64-yard touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin in his second straight start subbing for an injured Dak Prescott, and finished with a career-high 354 passing yards with one interception while completing 32 of 55 attempts.
C.J. Stroud threw for 257 yards with an interception for Houston, which extended its lead over the second-place Indianapolis Colts to two games in the AFC South.
The Texans never trailed after Mixon ripped off a 45-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive, and the veteran running back added a 1-yard scoring plunge late in the first quarter to give Houston a 14-0 lead.
Turpin got Dallas on the board by taking a short pass from Rush and breaking free from the Houston defence nine seconds into the second quarter, but the Cowboys were shut out in the second half after pulling to within 17-10 on Brandon Aubrey's 53-yard field goal with just under six minutes left before half-time.
Burnett's strip sack of Rush and return of the resulting fumble helped put the game away with 12:31 left, and Mixon tacked on his final touchdown of the night with 3:16 remaining to cap a 35-yard drive that began after the Texans stopped the Cowboys on downs.
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