The NFL is apparently so concerned with distancing any ties to gambling on its games that it cancelled an interview Rich Eisen did with actor Bradley Cooper that was scheduled to air Friday on NFL Network.
Cooper stars in a new movie “Silver Linings Playbook” that opened this week. The actor recorded an interview with NFL Network host Rich Eisen that was headlining “The Rich Eisen Thanksgiving Special” podcast that was going to be televised Friday, but the NFL stepped in on Wednesday and asked for the interview to be removed.
The New York Post reports that the NFL asked the segment to be cancelled because Robert De Niro’s character in the movie is a part-time bookie.
“The segment was pulled because the movie included content related to gambling on NFL games,” an NFL rep confirmed to the Post.
The new promo for the Thanksgiving Special mentions interviews with four actors, none of whom are Cooper.
Even though this particular interview was cancelled, Cooper has made NFL-related appearances to promote the movie. The actor attended a Philadelphia Eagles practice last week and spent time hanging out with DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy. De Niro’s character in the movie is obsessed with the Eagles, while Cooper says he has been an Eagles fan since childhood.
The NFL has long been conscious about its image and works to separate association to gambling on games to preserve the integrity of the league. The stance makes sense even though betting is a huge reason for the league’s popularity.
Photo: DeSean Jackson/Twitter
