The NFL has punished more former Ohio State football players for gambling.
Columbus, Ohio — A further two former Ohio State football players have been suspended by the NFL as part of its enforcement of its gambling policy.
One of the three players that ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Thursday have been “suspended indefinitely through at least the 2023 season” is Rashod Berry, an outside linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts and native of Lorain.
Berry was waived by the Colts, while cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was also given an indefinite ban. “The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance,” general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement regarding the roster changes.
Nicholas Petit-Frere, an offensive lineman who is currently with the Tennessee Titans, was suspended for six games. He claimed in an email to ESPN that he had neither made any wagers over the NFL nor intentionally broken any gambling regulations.
However, the NFL has taken strong action against players who place wagers of any type at team locations. Jameson Williams, a former wide receiver for Alabama and OSU, was also suspended for six games in April for the same offense.
Petit-Frere claimed that despite having attended a league presentation on gambling regulations, he was nonetheless unaware of this prohibition.
Petit-Frere said he asked several questions regarding fantasy football and other subjects at the presentation in an interview with Nick Suss of the Tennessean. According to him, players who commit “mistakes that they didn’t even know was a thing” are facing penalties.
In his ESPN statement, Petit-Frere stated, “I want to apologize to my family, coaches, teammates, and the Titans fans.” “I have always made an effort to abide by the rules at every turn in my life. I did not intentionally disobey the rules. The details of betting from a team facility were unknown to me, even after attending a league presentation.
“During training camp, I will do everything in my power to support the team, and when I return to the roster during the season, I will be ready.”
