Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was suspended for one year and was waived by the Indianapolis Colts on June 29 for placing wagers on his own team.
On Thursday, he told ESPN’s John Barr that he made the bets were made for people in Florida, where online betting wasn’t legal at the time of his gambling infractions.
“Just trying to help friends and family out, just knowing that it wasn’t legal at the time in Florida and it was in Indiana,” he said.
Rodgers had reportedly made 100 bets in total, including some on Colts games, ranging from $25 to $50. He also won a a $1,000 prop bet on the over/under on rushing yards by Colts running back Jonathan Taylor in one particular game.
Rodgers confirmed those bets Thursday.
“That report is true, with it being $1,000, but that report wasn’t made from my device,” he said. “The $25 to $50 bets are exactly true, but it was more crazy-leg parlays with just $25 trying to make a crazy amount. Just funny bets. Nothing too serious. It was never, ‘This bet here is going to change my life.'”
Before his suspension and subsequent release, Rodgers publicly apologized:
He also said he never allowed certain circumstances to happen in a game based on one of the wagers he placed.
“I studied too hard and too long and worked too hard to even get to this position to go out there and say, ‘I’m going to make this guy catch the ball and score a touchdown on me just for $25, $50 bets,'” he told ESPN. “Nah, that’s not even the type of person I am.”
He has since signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, who placed him on the reserve/suspended list in August. He is not eligible for reinstatement until after the Super Bowl.
The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick of the Colts in 2020. He appeared in 45 career games (10 starts), accumulating three interceptions, four fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, 10 passes defensed and 90 tackles. He also served as a kick returner for the team, registering one touchdown.
A number of NFL players have been suspended by the NFL for gambling infractions since online gambling became more prominently legal around the United States, including Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley (one year) and Detroit Lions wideout Jameson Williams (six games), among others.
