Two days after he was indefinitely suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy, Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting Ryan Gold is now appealing his suspension, according to his lawyer, Mike Caspino.
In a statement to ESPN, Caspino said that the league’s claims against his client are “blatantly false.”
“Ryan Gold has been an outstanding NFL executive for over a decade,” Caspino said. “The accusations made by the league regarding his participation in prohibited gambling activities are blatantly false. We have demanded an appeal, and we look forward to clearing his good name.”
The initial suspension was announced by the NFL on Friday, July 17. The league said that its investigation discovered that Gold placed parlay wagers on NFL and college football games. It also said that he had provided inside information on the Cardinals’ 2026 draft picks prior to their announcement — although it did not say whether that information was used for gambling purposes, or to whom it was provided.
Caspino told ESPN that the gambling activity was done by Gold’s wife, who had placed weekly $10 parlays with her high school friends. As for the information regarding draft picks, Caspino said that Gold would not have known who the Cardinals were selecting, as only owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort were aware of that information.
In a statement provided to The Arizona Republic after Gold was initially suspended, the Cardinals expressed support for the league’s decision.
“The NFL’s policies and expectations for all employees are clear, comprehensive, and consistently communicated,” the statement said. “We fully support the league’s decision in this matter, which involves a single employee. Our focus remains on preparing for the start of training camp next week and the 2026 season.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals exec appeals gambling ban, calls claims ‘blatantly false’
