It came to light this week that Giants receiver Malik Nabers and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels have a $10,000 wager based on either of them winning the offensive rookie of the year award.
As noted by John Keim of ESPN.com, the 2022 version of the NFL’s gambling policy specifically banished “private wagers between teammates, family and friends, or others” and the 2023 version does not. However, the 2023 policy is written very broadly to prohibit all forms of wagering: “Never place, solicit or facilitate any bet, whether directly or through a third party (‘Proxy Betting’), on any NFL game, practice, or other event, such as the Combine or Draft.”
Keim adds, citing an unnamed Commanders source, that “education for rookies on the gambling policy will take place during their rookie minicamp, which [began] Thursday with orientation sessions.”
Ideally, the instruction would come earlier, starting with the Scouting Combine. The reality, however, is that incoming players aren’t subject to the policy until they are drafted. If they make the bet before they’re drafted, is the bet still allowed?
It’s a potentially significant loophole. A player could, in theory, make a whole host of wagers for the upcoming season before he is drafted. Is it a violation if the bet is placed before the player is subject to the NFL’s policies?
We’ve asked the NFL several questions about this. We’ll post further items as warranted.
Our guess is that Nabers and/or Daniels will announce that they have officially abandoned their bet. And that, if one of them wins the offensive rookie of the year award, the other one will discreetly, and completely coincidentally, be giving him a gift in the amount of $10,000.
