Dak Prescott was forced to backtrack and issue a clarification after making a ‘stupid mistake’ admission during a press conference ahead of the 2023 NFL season
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has found himself backpedalling after a joke about being a “gambling man” regarding his contract situation raised eyebrows during a recent press briefing. With the NFL’s strict stance on gambling violations, Prescott was swift to clarify his comment to sidestep any potential misinterpretation.
Amidst talks about the upcoming NFL season and his own future with the Dallas team, Prescott, who signed a hefty four-year, $160 million deal in 2021, could hit free agency in 2025 if renegotiations don’t pan out, possibly signaling an exit from the Cowboys.
When asked about the pressure of a contract year, Prescott remarked, “It’s the urgency you should always have to be honest,” adding, “Maybe guys who normally wouldn’t feel it 1718075358 feel it. I don’t mind it. I’ve been in this position before, I’m a gambling man, and I’ll gamble on myself and my guys.”
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Realising the possible implications in light of recent gambling controversies, Prescott hastily amended his statement: “Not actually, guys. I understand there’s been a lot of [controversy] with that, so not that way,” he said, gesturing to underscore his point, as the room filled with laughter at his hasty correction.
Prescott’s swift clarification not only tickled fans on social media, but it was also a calculated move to distance himself from the serious issue of gambling-related violations in the NFL.
The league has punished several players in recent seasons, highlighting the need for Prescott to avoid any association with such activities. Indianapolis Colts Rashod Berry and Isaiah Rodgers were handed indefinite suspensions for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season, breaching the league’s gambling policies. Free agent Demetrius Taylor faced the same fate.
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Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans was benched for the team’s first six regular-season games in 2023 for placing bets on non-NFL sports at the club facility. Before making an NFL comeback, each player must apply for reinstatement in the league.
The Detroit Lions saw four of their players – Jameson Williams, Stanley Berryhill, Quintez Cephus, and C. J. Moore – face repercussions for violating the league’s gambling policies. Cephus and Moore were suspended indefinitely for the 2023 season for betting on NFL games. Berryhill and Williams were handed six-game suspensions for other gambling policy breaches, including placing bets from an NFL facility on non-NFL games.
Shaka Toney from the Washington Commanders has been handed an indefinite ban for betting on NFL games. This follows Calvin Ridley’s suspension for the entirety of the 2022 season for similar breaches. Now with the Tennessee Titans, Ridley opened up in a heartfelt letter to The Players’ Tribune about his gambling, calling it the biggest blunder of his life.
“I paid the price, believe me. I’ve seen all the jokes. I’ve seen all the hate. And I can shoulder all of that, no problem,” Ridley expressed. “All I want is for people to understand that, when I made those bets, there was a hell of a lot more going on with me.”
“I just —— 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,” he added. “I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off things and make the day go by faster.”