After serving a year-long suspension implemented by the NFL, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been reinstated. The team made the announcement on Monday.
The NFL suspended Ridley for the entire 2022 season for betting on games in 2021. The former Alabama receiver has not played in a game since Oct. 2021, when he stepped away to address his mental health.
“The Jaguars organization is aware of the NFL’s ruling to reinstate Calvin Ridley. We look forward to building a relationship with Calvin as both an individual and as a player,” the Jaguars said in a statement.
“Calvin is a proven playmaker and we are excited to see him compete among and with his new teammates, first during our Offseason Program in April and ultimately into the 2023 season, as we collectively pursue a championship for Jacksonville.”
Ridley spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s hauled in 248 catches for 3,342 yards and 28 touchdowns. Ridley was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2018 and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2020.
Calvin Ridley Releases Statement on Reinstatement
The NFL handed down Calvin Ridley’s punishment on March 7, 2022. One year later, the league granted the receiver reinstatement. After learning of the news, Ridley released a statement.
“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. I have always owned my mistakes and this is no different,” Ridley said.
“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.”
When addressing Ridley’s punishment, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called gambling among one of the league’s “most significant violations.”
Ridley said he bet $1,500 on games and that he doesn’t “have a problem.”