Official from Arizona Cardinals suspended amid latest NFL gambling crackdown

The NFL has suspended Ryan Gold, the Arizona Cardinals' director of college scouting, on suspicion that he engaged in prohibited actions, like sharing confidential information with third parties that may be connected to gambling activities. It is reported that Gold himself placed parlay bets.

The NFL claims that Gold shared confidential information about the team’s 2026 draft picks with outsiders before the Cardinals made their selections public. According to the NFL, their Gambling Policy, reviewed annually with all personnel, strictly forbids NFL employees from participating in or facilitating sports gambling, as well as sharing private information with third parties. The Cardinals issued their own statement, confirming the investigation focused on one employee and emphasizing the NFL’s clear and thorough guidelines on the matter. “We fully support the league's decision, which concerns a single employee,” the team stated. “Our priority is preparing for the upcoming training camp and the 2026 season.” The NFL bans employees and insiders from betting on game outcomes or sharing insider information that could lead to unfair betting practices. Over the years, the NFL has faced similar issues, admitting their previous gambling rules were unclear, and they have since introduced more detailed guidelines to address this.

Gold has been a loyal member of the Arizona team for over a decade, eventually rising to become the team's director of college scouting in 2025. Despite this, the situation is still unresolved. Gold's legal team has firmly denied any wrongdoing on his part, maintaining his innocence and pursuing an appeal. As of now, the NFL has not indicated that they are investigating other Cardinals members, leaving Gold as the only suspect. It's unclear who might have received the insider information from Gold or if they benefited from it. This new controversy arises just weeks after the Sorsby case, where the college athlete placed substantial bets on various sports, including his own team, prompting the NFL to cancel the 2026 Supplemental Draft.