Calvin Ridley seems to have a home with the Tennessee Titans, but it has been a journey for him before getting there. The wide receiver had been dealing with a few things in his life, and one of the biggest obstacles was Ridley getting suspended for gambling.
Ridley took a trip to Florida with some family one weekend, and he ended up betting on the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons. The league, which basically has a zero gambling policy, found out that Ridley was placing wagers on NFL games and suspended him.
“I downloaded the app sitting there not knowing that I was breaking a rule or anything,” Ridley said via ESPN's Turron Davenport. “Those were the only two NFL games I bet.”
Looking back at the situation, Ridley shared what the suspension taught him and what it allowed him to do in that period.
“The suspension gave me time to rest, get physically better, and mentally stronger,” Ridley said. “After that year, I was ready to come back.”
The Falcons ended up trading Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars during his suspension for conditional 2023 sixth-round and 2024 fourth-round picks. Ridley signed with the Titans in free agency last season, and now he's playing with this year's No. 1 pick, Cam Ward.
Calvin Ridley is ready to work with Cam Ward
With the regular season close to starting, it's important to have chemistry between the quarterback and wide receiver, and it looks like that's what is happening with Ward and Ridley. The two were able to get some reps in during the preseason, and Ridley showed the rookie some praise for what he was able to do.
“His timing is up to date,” Ridley said via Davenport. “He whips it, he's confident, it's smooth. It's an easy, catchable ball.”
The Titans have surrounded Ward with the necessary things to succeed, and Ridley may be one of the better options for him to throw to. Since coming into the league, Ridley has been one of the fastest receivers, and he has good footwork. Last year, Ridley had to find a rhythm with two different quarterbacks between Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, but this season, the hope is that Ward is the guy who's going to lead the Titans in the present and future.
It'll be interesting to see what they will do with a new look on offense.
