As the Jets’ passing game wades through rough waters, the team will be without its wide receivers coach for a time. The NFL is suspending Miles Austin for violating its gambling policy, Adam Schefter and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweet.
Austin, who did not coach against the Jaguars last night, is not believed to have bet on NFL games. Instead, the former NFL wideout bet on other sports, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes, adding that such action is an NFL personnel violation (Twitter link).
This suspension will be for at least a year, per Schefter and Cimini (on Twitter). The NFL has come down hard on gambling policy violators. Calvin Ridley is currently serving a year-long suspension for betting on NFL games. That came nearly three years after defensive back Josh Shaw was hit with a year-long suspension for doing the same. It is not know how frequently Austin bet on other leagues’ games or how much he wagered, but the league — which has loosened its stance on gambling dollars in recent years — is again cracking down on this activity by its employees.
Austin’s attorney confirms gambling on non-NFL professional sports and table games occurred, indicating (via KPRC’s Aaron Wilson, on Twitter) his client made bets legally from a mobile device and that no betting on NFL games took place. The young coach has cooperated fully with the NFL’s investigation, per his lawyer. Austin is appealing the ban.
Austin, 38, has been with the Jets for two seasons. Austin played 10 NFL seasons, eight of which with the Cowboys. He is now the subject of a Festivus-afternoon news dump. The Jets hired Austin two years after he served as a 49ers quality control coach during Robert Saleh‘s San Francisco stay. The Jets have multiple highly drafted young receivers, in Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore. Unless Austin’s appeal is successful, the team will need to find a new mentor for its pass catchers, who have already played with four quarterbacks this season.
Betting on other leagues game is unacceptable, but the sportsbooks somehow getting wind of Jalen Hurts missing the Cowboys game in order to change the spread before the news was even announced is ok?
Bobby D knows all.
Between the barrage of betting ads, their deal with the league and some of the worst officiating I’ve ever seen, something feels off to me. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I wouldn’t be shocked to find out there are some in the game who’ve been compromised.
So let me understand this. The NFL has a lucrative agreement with sports betting companies like Draft King but if any of their employees use it to bet on a non NFL game they get suspended… but it’s OK for a star QB to engage in domestic violence activities and he’s only suspended 11 games.
What a messed up double standard messsge the leadership of the NFL is sending.
Great sport, horrific governance
Exactly. Us fans are bombarded with ads for gambling on sports yet they want to act like tough guys about gambling on sports.
I just wonder what did the leagues expected to happen when partnering with the sports betting companies. Sure, can’t bet on/in the league you’re in, but what about others?
Yet he knew the rules.
Rules are Rules. I was a bartender years ago as a night gig and the bartenders (we had multiple) were not allowed to drink at the bar if they got off before closing. That is almost the same thing as this.
No, this is if the bar you worked at demanded the bartenders not drink at other bars after they got off work. That would be illegal.
JayHeck2158
In reality the NFL Owners own DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesers. They also have a secondary deal with BetMGM, WynnBet, FoxBet, and PointsBet. The light went on for me when I noticed that you could place bets during the game, until recently that was a huge no go.
Warning: once you start researching this….
link to profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
link to youtube.com
Miles Austin might have a strong case for illegal interference in his private life. Betting on NFL games being banned is a reasonable restriction, but banning betting on other unrelated leagues is really not the NFL’s business. Particularly as other commenters have noted, the NFL officially encourages betting in both its online video ads and on its own website.
Curious to see how this plays out. I hope ProFootballRumors will follow this legal story with at least the diligence it accords the Antonio Brown saga.
NFL has a gambling policy that nfl personal agree to. Clearly states no gambling in other professional leagues. He agreed to it when hired so how would it be a violation now?
The point, Mr.TheBossIsAlwaysRight, is that if the employers’ restrictions violate the law of the land, the law of the land takes precedence.
It looks like the NFL here has made an unreasonable demand which infringes on the personal freedom accorded a citizen of the United States of America. Moreover, a sharp lawyer will quickly bring to a court’s attention the hypocrisy of the NFL position. I.e. the NFL actively encourages gambling and profits from it. Hence restricting unrelated gambling on Mr. Austin’s part is an unreasonable demand in no way related to his employment.
Just because toddlers and capitalists cry hard when they don’t get their way doesn’t mean they should automatically get their way.
He knew the rules when he took the job.
Absolutely laughable. Countless players, coaches and team personnel directly or indirectly, bet on NFL games and other sports consistently. To believe otherwise is patently delusional.
What does it matter if he bet on non-NFL games? How does that have any relevance to his position? So dumb, typical of Goodell’s “leadership”.
I read somewhere that he was making those non sports bets while at the Jets facility. I think that’s a violation of the policy. Not really sure it deserves a year suspension.
Because it violates the nfl gambling policy. He knew the rules.
Coaches dont belong to the union
Austin knew the rules and chose to bet anyway.
I think they just want to prevent any sort of collusion between other leagues. If this guy knows someone who works in the nba, then there is the chance they bet on each others games, and being in a position with impact on the game, it’s just easier to ban all forms of sports betting. It’s a stretch, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen if it was allowed. And if that happened, it would be a bad look for the league and that impacts money. Again, total stretch, but that’s the logic behind it imo
A football coach is in a bar. A horse walks in. A football coach bets a horse that his … . Wait a minute, you can stick your head up a butcher’s … . Wait a minute. Is Vegas still open?
I wonder who ratted him out?
Most likely the betting platform he used. I believe they are obligated to let the NFL know if a player or coach is using the platform.
Goodell is simply worthless. His constant “ tough guy approach” on certain teams and players and then his favoritism towards others is unacceptable. The entire Officiating Dept needs to be re-tooled and this “ tool” is worrying about someone betting on another leagues games? Funny how certain teams in new markets gets calls and the others don’t . Such a hypocrite
This is collectively bargained. The players had a say. The coaches had a say. To punish according to a standard that was already agreed-upon by all parties is not hypocritical. This is not difficult to understand. I don’t disagree about the officiating, but I doubt Goodell had much involvement in this particular decision.
I doubt the NFL coaches are part of a collective bargaining agreement. Coaches are generally considered management, not employees. And if they were covered, there would be a minimum salary scale, just as there is for players.
They are part of management and this falls under the code of Conduct policy. All owners and management, along with the players fall under the same. All except for Robert Kraft
Yep it is • 3 hours ago
Goodell is simply worthless.
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Please read your entire post. When Rodger Goodell took over as commissioner in 2006 the Washington Franchise was valued at $900 million. Today the francize is for sale with a contested value of $7 Billion.
How can you possibly think that Goodell is simply worthless? I would definitely invest in that kind of turn over all day.
Sports leagues know that gambling can lead people to a spiral of desperate and bad decisions.
Which is why they ban their players from doing it even though they make hundreds of millions feeding their audiences to FanDuel and DraftKings.
And yet gambling is shoved down our throats!
Guess he didn’t get the memo – only the owners are allowed to be involved in gambling.
He is now the subject of a Festivus-afternoon news dump.
“I’ve got a lot of problems with you people, and now, you’re gonna hear about it!” – Frank Costanza
Ehhh I may be in the minority but I see a massive difference between betting on other leagues (indeed, other sports entirely) and betting on what are essentially one’s coworkers. Betting is a stupid habit anyway, in my mind at least, but I do not really see why this is treated with the same consequence as, say, what Calvin Ridley did.
That said, Austin likely knew what he was supposed to do and what he wasn’t. Hopefully the NFL recognizes his cooperation and reduces its punishment. A year’s time for this offense seems harsh.
The average person makes hundreds of bets a day without even realizing it. Even posting a comment in this forum requires us to bet on the efficiency of our computer technology.
I’m curious who he’s got in todays Houston/Tennessee game. Houston can put up some points. Tannehill is out. The line has dropped from -5 to -3.
Hmm. What would Miles do?
Don’t know about Miles but i went Houston ( moneyline) , over 35pts and cooks with a td for +950..you’re welcome lol
Are you sweating yet?
soooo close lol
No the point is There is a rule and he violated it. He knew the consequences. So because you think it is hypocritical
he should not be held responsible? Seems to be a problem in this country right now…people dont wantvto be responsible for ryles. The issue is not the nfl promoting gambling it is him vilating rules. Am I crazy about nfl pushing gambling…no but I do believe if you agree and know the rules you should be held responsible.