While taking responsibility for a gambling violation that led to his suspension from the NFL, former Indianapolis Colts defensive back Isaiah Rodgers Sr. largely downplayed a lapse in judgment that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2023 season.
In his first public comments since last June's suspension, Rodgers admitted to placing more than 100 wagers on a sports betting account in 2022 bearing his name. But Rodgers, a 2020 sixth-round pick by the Colts, claims that he placed the majority of the bets for his friends who lived in Florida.
At the time, bettors in the Sunshine State could not legally wager on sports through their phones. Hard Rock Bet launched its betting app late last year in the state, where it currently holds a monopoly.
During a four-part series on , Rodgers insisted that he never gambled before the 2022 season, when investigators discovered the pattern of rampant wagering. At the time, NFL policy prevented players from placing wagers on sports inside a club facility or on the road when on league business.