Calvin Ridley takes big step toward returning to NFL
Aug 29, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Calvin Ridley has not played in the NFL since 2021 after he was suspended indefinitely for gambling on games, but the star wide receiver is hoping to get back on the field in the near future.
Wednesday marked the first day that Ridley became eligible to apply for reinstatement, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the former first-round pick has done just that.
Jaguars’ WR Calvin Ridley, who was suspended one season after being accused of betting on games in November 2021 while he played with the Falcons, is in fact applying to the NFL today for reinstatement, per source. Today is first day Ridley can apply, and he’s wasting no time.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2023
The NFL announced nearly a year ago that Ridley would be suspended for at least the entire 2022 season. An investigation determined that Ridley bet on NFL games during a five-day period in November 2021, which was after he stepped away from the Atlanta Falcons for mental health reasons.
It was unclear at the time if Ridley planned to play again once his suspension was lifted, but it would appear he does.
The Falcons traded Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars last November for a fifth-round pick in in the upcoming draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2024. The Falcons will get the fourth-round pick as long as Ridley ends up on Jacksonville’s roster. The pick will become a third-rounder if Ridley hits certain incentives and a second-rounder if the Jaguars sign him to an extension.
The 28-year-old Ridley had a breakout season in 2020 with 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns. He then played in just five games in 2021 before stepping away for mental health reasons.
Ridley seemed excited about being traded to the Jaguars based on his Twitter reaction.