ATLANTA — Calvin Ridley’s once promising career as a featured wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons has come to a close after it was reported Tuesday afternoon that he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ridley had been suspended for the entire 2022 season by the NFL after he reportedly bet on football games while sitting out most of the 2021 season for “personal reasons”.
Channel Action News 2 Sports Director Zach Klein was able to confirm the reports.
Falcons trading WR Calvin Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars per NFL League source
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) November 1, 2022
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Ridley was a first-round draft pick by the Falcons in 2018 from the University of Alabama and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association of America “All-Rookie Team” in his first season.
He became one of then-QB Matt Ryan’s favorite targets and in 2020, was named a second team “All Pro” selection. He finished the season with 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns and was considered a franchise cornerstone.
That summer, the Falcons exercised the fifth-year option on Ridley’s contract, paying him over $11 million a season.
But on Halloween night of 2021, Ridley would play only five games for Atlanta, saying he needed to step away from football for “mental health reasons”.
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) October 31, 2021
It would be the last time Ridley would play a down for the Falcons.
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In March of this year, the NFL announced the 27-year-old receiver from Fort Lauderdale would be suspended for the entire 2022 season and forfeit his $11.1 million paycheck for “betting” on NFL games, including games the Falcons played.
Less than an hour before the NFL trading deadline on Tuesday, it was announced Calvin Ridley had been traded to the Jaguars for a 5th round draft pick in 2023 and a conditional 4th round pick in 2024.
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