The NFL is investigating a fifth Detroit Lions player as part of its ongoing gambling investigation, The Athletic reported Friday.
The website did not name the player, but reported he did not have a prominent role in 2022.
Four Lions players, including wide receiver Jameson Williams, were suspended in April for violating the NFL’s policy on gambling.
Williams and receiver Stanley Berryhill were suspended six games for placing mobile bets on non-NFL games from a team facility, while receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore were suspended indefinitely for wagering on football. Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney also was suspended indefinitely in the probe.
The Lions, who also fired four staff members this spring for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, waived Cephus, Moore and Berryhill, while Williams said Thursday in his first public comments since the suspension that he was not fully aware of the NFL’s rules on gambling.
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The NFL prohibits players from betting on NFL games or events at any time, and forbids players from placing any kind of wager at team stadiums, facilities, hotels, buses or while conducting league business.
“It hit me out of the blue, and it hit a couple other players around the league and on my team out of the blue,” Williams said. “I wasn’t aware of this situation, but as it happened, like I said, I took it on the chin, I was ready to move forward as things moved on and I got the consequences, so that’s been my whole plan moving forward from things and just looking at the better days.”
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Thursday the organization has reminded players multiple times this spring about the league’s gambling policy, which is posted inside every team’s locker room. Additionally, the NFL Players Association sent a memo to agents this spring warning players not to open mobile betting apps while at work.
“It’s an emphasis on the league right now,” Campbell said. “It’s a big thing. Our players know. We’ve tried to hammer it home. Certainly, we did after that point, hit it two more times and we’ll just, we’ll keep doing it.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.