Sean Payton Lobs 'Sharp Rebuke' of NFL on Eyioma Uwazurike's Suspension

Apparently, Sean Payton isn't a fan of how the NFL is handling enforcement of its gambling policy.

On Monday, the NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to Denver Broncos second-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike for violating the league's gambling policy. The league's punishment severely weakened what was already a precarious position group on the Broncos' roster. 

Sean Payton wasn't thrilled with the NFL over Uwazurike's suspension, as chronicled by USA Today's Jarrett Bell, who detailed the Broncos head coach's "sharp rebuke" of the league. 

“When you have a bunch of players getting D’s, you have to start looking at the message,” Payton told USA TODAY Sports in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. “And we’ve had a lot of D’s in our league this year with this policy.”

Bell continues: 

Reminded that Uwazurike, 25, is the 10th NFL player since April to be suspended for gambling activity, Payton replied, “Shame on us."

“And we’re going to send them home for a year, where they can’t be around. The idea that you just go away, shame on us.”

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For what it's worth, it appears that Payton's criticism of the NFL isn't that it is enforcing its gambling rules but rather the terms of the punishment. Perhaps if offending players were suspended for X-number of games instead of indefinitely, Payton wouldn't have spoken out the way he did. A year is a long time, but the sanctity of the NFL game, and the perception thereof, is paramount. 

It's believed that Uwazurike bet on NFL games last year, and the league busted him for it. It's not known whether he bet on the outcome of Broncos games, which would obviously be worse.  

However, the NFL dropped the hammer on Uwazurike. He's ineligible to even apply for reinstatement until 2024. That means the 2023 season has been completely wiped out for the young trenchman. 

Since arriving as head coach, Payton has gone to great lengths to educate Broncos players on the dangers of gambling and the NFL's policy. While some perceived the Broncos' statement following Uwazurike's suspension as perhaps protecting their hide, the team made clear that it has done what it should to educate the players on this topic, but remember; the damage had already been done if the games he bet on were last season. 

Denver's statement: 

"We were informed by the NFL today that Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended by the league indefinitely for violating its gambling policy. Our organization fully cooperated with this investigation and takes matters pertaining to the integrity of the game very seriously.

“The Denver Broncos will continue to provide all members of our organization with the necessary education, resources and support to ensure compliance with the NFL’s Gambling Policy.”

It's unfortunate. With the proliferation of legalized gambling across the United States, players can't just assume that because it's no longer against the law in a given state that it doesn't violate NFL rules. After all, marijuana use is still technically in violation of the NFL's substance abuse policies, yet it's legal in several states, including Colorado. Although, the NFL has softened its punishment for players who are caught using marijuana. 

But players have to be smart enough to know these things, and the Broncos have done their part to ensure the players are aware of the rules and ramifications of violating them. Payton laments a wasted year for Uwazurike, but that's the way the cooky crumbles when a known NFL rule that is meant to protect the integrity of the game is broken. 

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