The fallout from the NBA’s gambling scandal appears to have reached other professional sports leagues, as a new report claims a Hall of Fame NFL player was one of the people who hosted a rigged poker game.
On Thursday, the FBI announced that multiple people had been arrested due to their alleged involvement in either fixing illegal poker games, or trading inside information for sports betting purposes. Among those arrested were current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, current NBA player Terry Rozier, and former NBA player/coach Damon Jones.
Multiple current and former athletes reportedly participated in card games organized by those indicted by the DOJ in “Operation Royal Flush.” On Sunday, Pablo Torre reported that Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates hosted one of the fixed games in Miami and participated in it.
Torre says the game was organized by Curtis Meeks, who was one of the people indicted on Thursday.
🚨➕ Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates hosted — and played in — an allegedly rigged Miami poker game, sources with direct knowledge tell @pablofindsout, that was organized by Curtis Meeks. Meeks was indicted by the federal government Thursday.
— Pablo Torre 👀 (@PabloTorre) October 26, 2025
Gates has not been named in any federal court filings, according to Pro Football Talk. If Gates did host and take part in one of the games, it is unclear if he did so knowingly.
Gates was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. He played his entire 16-year NFL career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and made the Pro Bowl eight times. Gates, a three-time All-Pro, has more touchdown catches than any tight end in NFL history with 116. That is also tied for 14th all time overall.
At least one other NBA legend has also been tied to the poker scandal, though he was not named in federal documents either.
