NFL Drops The Hammer On Member Of Arizona Cardinals After Major Investigation
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting Ryan Gold indefinitely after concluding he violated the league’s gambling policy.
The league announced the punishment on Friday following an internal investigation.
According to the NFL, Gold shared confidential, non-public information about the Cardinals’ 2026 NFL Draft selections before they were announced.
Investigators also determined he placed parlay bets on NFL and college football games.
The suspension takes effect immediately.
Gold has the right to appeal the league’s decision.
NFL Says Confidential Draft Information Was Shared Before Picks Were Announced
The NFL emphasized in a statement that all league personnel receive annual training on its gambling policy.
The policy strictly prohibits employees from betting on sports or providing non-public information that could benefit gamblers.
“The League’s investigation determined that Gold provided confidential, non-public inside information regarding 2026 Draft selections by the Cardinals before they were announced,” the statement said, per Adam Schefter.
The league also noted there is no evidence that the integrity of any NFL game was compromised by Gold’s actions.
Still, it described violations of the gambling policy as a serious matter warranting significant discipline.
Gold has spent 13 seasons with the Cardinals organization.
He joined the franchise in 2014 and worked his way through several scouting roles before earning a promotion to director of college scouting in June 2025.
The suspension marks the latest example of the NFL taking a hard line against gambling-related violations.
In recent years, the league has disciplined multiple players and personnel members for betting on NFL games or violating league gambling rules as legalized sports betting has expanded across the United States.
The NFL continues to partner with several sportsbooks. It’s also maintaining strict restrictions on employees, coaches, executives and players to protect the integrity of the game.
Gold’s appeal rights remain intact, but unless the punishment is overturned, he will remain suspended indefinitely while the Cardinals move forward without one of their top scouting executives.
