What did the Patriots’ Jonathan Jones say about the NFL’s gambling policy and recent suspensions?
The NFL has made it abundantly clear that it won’t tolerate gambling among players. Though understandable, some players have different ideas.
Whether you’re for or against the NFL’s stance when it comes to gambling, the fact remains that the league is making a concerted effort to clamp down on the practice. Given what we’ve seen in recent days, one has to wonder how many more players will be found guilty and in turn punished for their actions.
Patriots’ Jonathan Jones pushes back on NFL’s gambling rules
As you’ve probably seen by now, the NFL is getting serious where its gambling rules are concerned. In the wake of a new set of guidelines being released, and several suspensions earlier this week, the league has demonstrated that it is opting for a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to players betting on sports regardless of if they are NFL related or not. Now, while that may seem relatively logical, there is one player in particular who sees things somewhat differently. On Thursday, New England Patriots cornerback, Jonathan Jones, used social media to offer a different take on the situation, saying that players should in fact be allowed to bet on their own teams.
“I understand rules are rules,” Jones tweeted, “but I can risk my life so that my team wins but I can’t risk $1,000 on my team winning?” Jones’ comments come just one day after Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was suspended indefinitely by the league and was then promptly released by the franchise for reportedly betting on hundreds of NFL games, including ones in which his own team participated.
Does Jonathan Jones have a point?
What’s clear is that there are many sides to this debate. Yet, it’s got to be said that it’s a debate that Jones isn’t shying away from. Confronted by Twitter users about the idea that allowing NFL players to bet on games could very well compromise the “integrity of the game,” Jones had pushed back. “You could limit bets to be only for your team’s benefit,” he stated. Of course, it wasn’t long before fans offered more concerns such as the notion that by permitting players to place bets, the end result could be a change in what players give on the field.
Interestingly, Jones simply doubled down by explaining that he was “only arguing logic,” before disclosing that he himself does not bet on sports because the “return on investment isn’t that great.” Jones also seemed to dismiss the idea that players’ on-field efforts would be affected by bets that they have made. “If you don’t give maximum effort you lose your job more than any bet,” he wrote. “This isn’t boxing. You can’t get 92 players on a Sunday to not show maximum effort.”
Where does the NFL fit in this discussion?
In truth, nowhere. It’s all but certain that the NFL is not going to allow players to bet on games, and quite frankly, rightly so. Aside from opening up the proverbial can of worms, it simply doesn’t make sense. That’s before we get to the fact that Commissioner Roger Goodell said earlier this offseason that enforcing the gambling policy, which prohibits any NFL bets or even non-NFL bets from team facilities, is a high priority for the league. If you didn’t know, the league has dealt out six separate indefinite suspensions for gambling over the last two years.