Calvin Ridley can be a role model for the Jaguars in more than one way
Calvin Ridley's start in the NFL was fast. With 26 touchdowns in his first three seasons, capped off with second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 after grabbing 90 passes for 1374 yards, Ridley was one of the hottest young receivers in the league. Then came 2021. After a slow start to the season, Ridley surprised everyone […]
Calvin Ridley's start in the NFL was fast. With 26 touchdowns in his first three seasons, capped off with second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 after grabbing 90 passes for 1374 yards, Ridley was one of the hottest young receivers in the league.
Then came 2021. After a slow start to the season, Ridley surprised everyone by stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health. Shortly after that, an even bigger bombshell came down. The NFL had suspended him indefinitely for violating the league's policy on gambling.
And with that, Ridley disappeared from public view for a year. There were few, if any reports about what was going on with him. Why he did what he did. If he would play football again. Or if he was ok.
Then, in November 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars brought Ridley's name back into the public light when they acquired him from the Atlanta Falcons. On March 6, 2023, the league reinstated Ridley. And on March 8, 2023, Ridley released a lengthy letter detailing his personal struggles and why he did what he did.
I just f***ed up. Period. In a dark moment, I made a stupid mistake. I wasn’t trying to cheat the game. That’s the thing I want to make clear. At the time, I had been completely away from the team for about a month. I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off of things and make the day go by faster. One day, I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone. I deposited like $1,500 total, literally just for something to do. I was going to bet like $200 on some NBA games that night, but then I just added a bunch more games to a parlay. I put the Falcons in on it. I was just doing it to root on my boys, basically. I didn’t have any inside information. I wasn’t even talking to anybody on the team at the time. I was totally off the grid.
Whenever people ask, “What were you thinking?” The only answer I can give is, “I wasn’t.” Calvin Ridley via The Players Tribune
The entire letter was as raw and personal as you will see a player be, and it was a true insight into what fans rarely see: the person behind the facemask. Players are paid millions of dollars to play a high-stakes game in a billion-dollar industry, and sometimes – often, even – the human side of the players is lost in the shuffle. It rises to the surface at times – such as when Damar Hamlin nearly lost his life on the field last year in Cincinnati – but that feels like more of the exception than the rule.
The pressure of winning in the NFL is extreme. The physical pain is perhaps even more extreme for many. And everyone has personal problems and stresses. For Ridley, that in part led him to find a release off the field in the form of gambling.
And he likely isn't the only one in that situation. As such, Ridley can serve as a valuable mentor for both handling the stresses of the league and advising anyone in the Jaguars' locker room who might have a gambling urge or problem. Coach Doug Pederson addressed Ridley's ability to lead in that regard at his Monday press conference.
Obviously, what Calvin has gone through is definitely a testimony to the rest of our football team and, hopefully, the rest of the league. I don't want to put Calvin in a spotlight situation, I don't want to bring all this attention on him. But at the same time, I have mentioned to the team that if they're going through anything, or they're tempted in any way, you know, reach out to Calvin, he'd be a great resource to talk to. Calvin has been open to that. Now, whether or not he's had conversations, I can't speak to that. But listen, we're in a day and age where gambling is, it's everywhere. And with all the websites that are out there and different things that people can – apps and all that kind of stuff. I mean, we have to be very careful. And so part of my message to the team this offseason has been, you know, because now we're going to take about five weeks off and I just want to make sure that they're doing the right things and taking care of themselves and not putting their careers and futures in jeopardy. – Doug Pederson via Jaguars YouTube channel
Ridley was already a good example to follow for Jacksonville's talented group of pass catchers and promising passing game. After all, his name appears as an NFL All Pro and his skills are off the charts. Worthy of the trade capital that they parted with.
However, it could also be his experience during his darkest moments that helps a young teammate when he really needs it. The value of that goes beyond draft picks.
Featured image via Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
