Josh Shaw of the Arizona Cardinals will be sitting out the 2020 season because he bet on numerous NFL games this past year. As the Associated Press reports, Shaw was suspended on Friday in the first ban for gambling in the NFL in over 35 years.
The league reportedly found no evidence that any of Shaw's teammates or coaches were aware of, or involved in, the bets on NFL games. Shaw, who hasn't played in 2019 due to his status on injured reserve, will be able to petition for reinstatement on Feb. 15, 2021. It is not clear exactly how long Shaw had been gambling on the NFL.
"The continued success of the NFL depends directly on each of us doing everything necessary to safeguard the integrity of the game and the reputations of all who participate in the league," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "At the core of this responsibility is the longstanding principle that betting on NFL games, or any element of a game, puts at risk the integrity of the game, damages public confidence in the NFL, and is forbidden under all circumstances. If you work in the NFL in any capacity, you may not bet on NFL football."
Read the full statement on Shaw's suspension above via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Shaw was previously suspended while he was at USC for lying about how he sustained two high-ankle sprains. He told USC that he got injured saving his drowning 7-year-old nephew when in reality he was injured after jumping from a balcony in order to escape the attention of the police. Authorities arrived after neighbors notified them that they heard Shaw and his girlfriend arguing.
