After being suspended by the NFL for a gambling violation last offseason, the Detroit Lions made the quick decision to release defensive back C.J. Moore, who ended up missing the entire 2023 campaign because of the indefinite suspension.
However, Moore was reinstated by the league recently and was re-signed by the Lions, returning a player who was a key special teams contributor for multiple seasons in Detroit.
On Thursday, Moore broke his silence on the topic as the team held its first open session of organized team activities. He wouldn’t go into specifics about what his gambling entailed, but he showed clear remorse and took accountability for it.
“I knew the rules, just like I said, just being immature, just gambling, losing control of being aware of exactly what I was doing,” Moore admitted, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “So just careless mistake.”
Moore is looking to take his mistake and use it as a lesson, not only for himself, but for his teammates.
“When I hear anybody talking about it, like I said I will walk away,” he said. “But if I can help and tell these guys and encourage them don’t even gamble at all, that’s my word to them.”
Moore said the suspension left him in limbo, as he was uncertain what it would do to his career, which began as an undrafted free-agent signing of the Lions in 2019.
“There was times where I mean, it was tough,” Moore explained. “I didn’t know what (was going to happen to me). It was a lot of uncertainty, but all I could do was just try to put my best foot forward, be a good pro and just try to prepare to come back and I’m just so thankful to be back.”
He did make the best of the suspension, however, as he got married and had a second child. He also stayed in shape by working out at a gym in New Jersey.
Now, he’ll look to rekindle the role he had with the Lions before the ban.