The Falcons are making headlines again as the Deshaun Watson suspension news permeates through the NFL world. The team did pursue Watson, but that’s the topic at hand. Calvin Ridley‘s year-long suspension for gambling on games last year is dominating the news cycle. Now, comparing the two players’ punishments is apples to oranges — gambling vs. sexual assault. However, that hasn’t stopped the outrage, even from his own teammates — namely, Cordarrelle Patterson, who vented his frustrations on Twitter.
Free my dawg!! pic.twitter.com/ce1Gx8BSLI
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) August 1, 2022
When asked to elaborate on the tweet, here’s what Patterson had to say:
https://twitter.com/Emily_Gagnon/status/1554501664647876611?s=20&t=kwe5YVwIew1UaxKFq1pe8g
Ridley placed several wagers on the Falcons to win games while he was away from the team dealing with mental health issues and received a swift indefinite suspension. Meanwhile, Watson received nearly 30 claims of sexual assault yet only received a six-game suspension.
Judge Sue Robinson heard arguments from both sides but used the precedent set by the league in her determination of a fair suspension. She used past punishments handed by the NFL in Ezekiel Elliot and Ben Rothlisberger’s respective cases.
Rodger Goodell’s priority is always to protect the shield. The Falcons receiver never committed a crime but threatened the integrity of the game, so the league needed to make an example of Ridley. The NFL won’t like the backlash from Robinson’s ruling, but it’s their fault, given their history of under-punishing sexual assault cases.
Cordarrelle Patterson’s vocalization of his support is warranted, but both Ridley and Watson violated rules; one just seems far less important in the grand scheme of things.
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