Former Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley reinstated by NFL after gambling suspension

Calvin Ridley was reinstated by the NFL on Monday, paving the way for a return to football in 2023 after the former Alabama received missed the entire 2022 season.

Now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ridley was suspended by the league for gambling on games in November 2021. He officially filed his application for reinstatement to the league in mid-February. Ridley has not played in a game since Week 6 of the 2021 NFL season.

Calvin Ridley has been reinstated by the NFL.

He hasn’t played a game since stepping away to focus on his mental health in Oct. 2021 and being suspended for the 2022 season for wagering on games in Nov. 2021. pic.twitter.com/gHCpSd6n7m

— ESPN (@espn) March 6, 2023

Ridley was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Over his first 3 seasons in the league, the 6-foot-1 wideout grew into a budding star. He led the team with 90 catches for 1,374 yards and 9 touchdowns during the 2020 season — a breakthrough campaign after back-to-back 800-yard seasons to begin his career.

He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars at the trade deadline last November. With former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence leading the charge in his sophomore season, the Jags won 9 games and made it to the Divisional Round of the Playoffs, where they nearly took down the Kansas City Chiefs.

With Ridley joining the fold, Jacksonville’s young offense looks to have an even brighter future.

And now we can officially plan on this offense for the Jaguars in 2023:

QB: Trevor Lawrence
RB: Travis Etienne
WR: Calvin Ridley
WR: Christian Kirk
WR: Zay Jones
TE: Evan Engram

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 6, 2023

Derek Peterson

Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.