Source: Cooper Neill / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – ESPN has reported the NFL is investigating a potential violation of the league’s gambling policy by Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers.
It has been reported Rodgers made around 100 bets, including on Colts contests. Exact details of the types of bets, including if Rodgers bet for/against the Colts were not in the initial report.
SportsHandle.com first broke this story earlier on Monday afternoon. The Colts have not yet confirmed Rodgers is the player in question, or commented about any potential punishment.
No matter that, if the report of bets the bets is true, and if he bet on NFL games, especially Colts games, Rodgers’ time in a Colts uniform is extremely in question.
Shane Steichen is next scheduled to meet the media on Wednesday, with the Colts having their third open OTA session then.
In the two previous OTA sessions, Rodgers has not participated in either of the 11-on-11 periods during those practices.
For Rodgers, this season has (had?) makings of a golden opportunity, as he plays in the final year of his rookie contract.
The Colts no longer have Stephon Gilmore in the building. While they did make notable cornerback investments in the draft (selecting 3 of them), Rodgers is easily the second most experienced corner on the roster, next to Kenny Moore.
Rodgers started 9 games last season and was arguably a favorite for one of the two outside cornerback starting jobs in 2023.
If this plays out to where Rodgers misses ample time with the Colts, it greatly benefits Dallis Flowers (at both corner and in the return game), along with rookie draft picks JuJu Brents, Darius Rush and Jaylon Jones. The Colts have chosen to opt for a serious youth movement at cornerback in 2023, straying away from any veteran moves at that position.
In this final year of his rookie contract, Rodgers is scheduled to make a little more than $2 million, which is a notable raise from his first three years in the NFL, when he made less than $1 million annually.
Losing Rodgers would further grow the massive youth movement in the cornerback room. It would stunt the potential of a player who has shown some nice instincts on the ball in his various action. And it would come at such a critical juncture of Rodgers’ own career—missing the chance to make a statement in a contract year, with his contract also doubling in ’23, and doing so at a position group without obvious long-term answers.
Past precedent in the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy has seen full-season suspensions for players betting on any NFL games, and around a 6-game suspension for betting on non-NFL games, but doing so at the team facility, which is a violation of the policy.
While the NFL (and the Colts) has currant partnerships with various gambling companies, the league policy states clearly that players cannot bet on NFL games, nor place bets on any sport while at the team facility.
This story will be updated as the NFL and/or Colts release more info on the situation.
