NFL’s Detroit Lions Under Investigation… Again
Pete Rose Called, Recommends Pleading the "Fifth"

Fifth Lions Player Investigated in Betting Scandal
The Detroit Lions are making NFL news once again. This time, The Athletic reports that a fifth player is being investigated for alleged gambling. These Lions under investigation are yet to be named but if implicated, they could be suspended and/or cut from the team. The Lions already have four players suspended from gambling including 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams.
While the player under investigation was reported to not have been a prominent member of the team, his involvement leaves room to further question how deep this issue is. Along with the four Lions suspended, the Washington Commanders’ Shaka Toney was also suspended for his involvement.
Detroit may be the main team making these types of headlines. But these issues could continue to pop up in the NFL with how prevalent legalized sports betting has become.
Lost Lions: How Bad is This Issue Among NFL Players?
With the suspensions of five NFL players and Calvin Ridley two seasons ago, one can only speculate how many more players are breaking league rules by sports wagering online. More concerning is how ignorant Williams was regarding the league’s anti-gambling rules.
“It hit me out of the blue. It hit a couple of other players around the league and on my team out of the blue,” Williams admitted to Brad Galli of WXYZ Detroit. “I wasn’t aware of this situation, but as it happened, I took it on the chin. I was ready to move forward. As things moved on, I got the consequences. That’s been my whole plan, moving forward from things, just looking at the better days.”
The wide receiver cannot be the only player unaware of the NFL’s anti-gambling policies. The question becomes if the league will start investigating other teams. In the meantime, the Lions under investigation will either miss a portion (six games for Williams and fellow wideout Stanley Berryhill) or all of the upcoming season.
Wide Receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore were suspended the entire season. Along with Berryhill, the Lions released all of them.
Detroit is coming from one of their best seasons where they just missed the playoffs. Head coach Dan Campbell has renewed optimism for the team as Detroit’s offense, which scored the fifth-most points. They’ll remain popular NFL picks for as long as they can keep their players straight.
Betting Impact on Lions’ Suspensions
Ironically, the Lions under investigation barely impact the NFL betting lines. Williams is the most notable player the team will miss and it will be for just six games. The talented wideout also just played six games in 2022. He caught one pass for a touchdown. Had he not been a first-round pick, Williams would have most likely suffered the same fate as his peers.
For now, Detroit remains a slight favorite to win the NFC North at +125. Its Super Bowl odds are at +2000 while its regular season wins, set at 9.5 wins, have been steamed to go ‘over’ (-130). If Detroit can continue to blow up NFL scores with its explosive offense, the team will be both fun and profitable in 2023. That is, so long as its starters do not get implicated in any betting scandals.
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