The NFL, or the National Football League, has suspended the 10th player for violating the regulations pertaining to betting on sports. This time, the player to be suspended hails from the Broncos and is their DL (defensive lineman) – Eyioma Uwazurike. The team players were scheduled to meet for the training camp ahead of the NFL Preseason. While the rest of the team will proceed as per the schedule, they will miss one of their key players not just in the camp but also in the season.
Uwazurike has reportedly been held for betting on the Denver Broncos during the 2022-2023 season. It is unclear if he actually placed any bet. The suspension, nevertheless, will go into effect on July 24, 2023, and last for at least one year.
A representative from the Denver Broncos interacted with the media, informing that the management cooperated with the authorities right from the time they were informed about the investigation. Uwazurike is now set to lose his base salary worth $870,000. The team is carrying the odds of +198 on several NFL betting sites. It remains to be seen if that will change in the days to come.
Uwazurike is one of the many players who have been suspended by the NFL for their alleged involvement in betting activities. Rules state that bets cannot be placed by players on any sport when they are at the facility or inside a league. Similarly, NFL players cannot wager on a league game irrespective of their location – inside or outside of the workplace. Other players to have gotten suspended include Isaiah Rodgers and Shaka Toney.
This is not the first time that the National Football League has conducted any investigation. The first wave, as experts call it, of suspensions by the NFL came in April this year. The second wave came in June 2023. It was only obvious that the third wave of suspension was due this month. Rumors were already out that someone from the Broncos was under investigation. Nothing concrete was made public for obvious reasons of protecting the case.
With all the cards out on the table, it is clear that Uwazurike was being searched by the authorities. The Broncos were informed about his suspension this Monday.
The NFL is scrutinizing the way players are educated about the rules for sports betting. Also, players have to be told about the consequences that they may face for indulging in activities that are against the rules. Sean Payton, the Coach of the Broncos, stated that his team did receive the material, and it was being used to develop a PowerPoint Presentation.
The suspension period of Uwazurike is officially for an indefinite time; however, Henry Chisholm, a reporter for the Denver Broncos, has quoted that the suspension could take at least one calendar year to get over. Henry has also highlighted that jobs may be up for grabs at the Broncos for the role of DL.
