Calvin Ridley reinstated by NFL after gambling suspension originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Calvin Ridley's indefinite suspension is over.
The Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver has been fully reinstated by the NFL, the league announced on Monday. He is now immediately eligible to participate in all team activities.
Ridley was initially suspended on March 7, 2022, for violating the league's gambling policy after betting on NFL games.
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"Today's reinstatement by the NFL brings an end to a challenging chapter of my professional career, one that was self-inflicted and began with an isolated lapse in judgement," Ridley said on the Jaguars' team website. "I have always owned my mistakes and this is no different. I have great respect for the game and am excited for the opportunity to restart my career in Jacksonville. I look forward to showing my new coaches, teammates, and the entire Jaguars organization exactly who I am and what I represent as a player and person."
The 28-year-old receiver was traded by the Atlanta Falcons to the Jaguars in November for conditional 2023 sixth-round and 2024 fourth-round picks. This year's pick will become a fifth-rounder because Ridley was reinstated, and the 2024 pick can become either a third-round pick based on playing time or a second-round pick if he signs a long-term extension in Jacksonville.
In his first four seasons with the Falcons after being a first-round pick in 2018, Ridley emerged as a talented young weapon. He had 10 receiving touchdowns as a rookie and was named Second-Team All-Pro in 2020 after totaling 90 catches and 1,374 receiving yards.
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Now, he'll join an up-and-coming Jaguars offense that features Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram. Last season, Jacksonville won its first playoff game in five years under first-year head coach Doug Pederson.
