Isiah Rodgers, a cornerback with the Indianapolis Colts, is under investigation by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Rodgers, a kick returner and cornerback, allegedly placed numerous wagers on NFL games, including on his own team. The bets were made on a friend’s account and the majority of wagers were within the $25 to $50 range.
The Colts selected Rodgers out of UMass with a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He returned one kick for a touchdown in his rookie season in 2020.
It has been reported that the NFL has evidence that a player from the Colts placed hundreds of bets in 2022 and early 2023. The Sports Handle didn’t reveal the player’s name, but noted that he made wagers on the Colts during the 2022 NFL season.
The Colts confirmed the investigation, but didn’t comment any further on the situation.
“We are aware of the NFL’s investigation and will have no further comment at this time,” the Colts said in an official statement.
Indiana has legalized sports betting, but Rodgers apparently made bets while inside the Colts’ practice facility, which is in direct violation of the NFL’s gambling policy.
Rodgers is also in hot water for betting on his own team, which is taboo.
John Shaw from the Arizona Cardinals was the first player suspended in 2019 for gambling violations in the era of legalized sports betting. Shaw got slapped with a 21-game suspension for making bets, including on the Cardinals, and for fading his own team during visits to Las Vegas.
In 2022, Calvin Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons earned a one-year suspension for making parlay bets on his phone that included his own team. Ridley was recently reinstated and joined the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The latest investigation comes months after the NFL suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling policy. Four members of the Detroit Lions and one player from the Washington Commanders were flagged for either betting on NFL games or for placing wagers on sports within their team’s facility.
C.J. Moore, Quintez Cephus, and Shaka Toney were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games. Toney was a member of the Commanders last season, but he’s no longer on the roster. Moore and Cephus played for the Lions last season, but both have since been cut.
Detroit wide receivers, Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill, were issued six-game suspensions. They placed wagers while inside the Lions’ practice facility, but didn’t bet on NFL games.
The NFL is also investigating another member of the Lions for gambling violations.
The NCAA recently flagged student athletes from Iowa and Iowa State for violating gambling regulations.
College baseball is in the middle of its own betting scandal. Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon revealed inside information to a friend who wagered against Alabama in a game against LSU. The bettor was the father of a member of the Cincinnati Bearcats baseball team. Scott Googins, head coach of Cincinnati, recently stepped down in the wake of the scandal. Bohannon also lost his job with Alabama.
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced on Monday that they have acquired National defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo from the BC Lions in exchange for BC’s fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft. Hamilton originally acquired the pick in exchange for Dane Evans on Feb. 23.
Kongbo, 27, spent time with the BC Lions (2023) and has played 26 games over two seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2019, 2021), registering 28 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle and four quarterback sacks.
The six-foot-five, 266-pounder from Surrey, BC was born in Kinshasa, Zaire. He suited up in three regular season games for the National Football League’s Denver Broncos (2023), registering one defensive tackle. Kongbo also spent time with the San Francisco 49ers (2020) and played his collegiate football at the University of Tennessee.
VANCOUVER — The BC Lions have signed National running back Kienan LaFrance, the team announced on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old Winnipeg native spent the last three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, racking up 91 yards on 18 carries and hauling in 14 receptions for 97 yards across 43 regular season games.
LaFrance spent 2018 with his hometown Blue Bombers while recording 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 36 carries. His most productive campaign came in 2017 in his first stint in Saskatchewan with 68 rushes for 273 yards and two majors in 13 contests.
LaFrance was selected by Ottawa in round six (45th overall) of the 2015 CFL Draft. He would go on to suit up in 32 regular season contests over the next two seasons, playing a primary role on special teams before contributing heavily on offence in the REDBLACKS’ 2016 post-season championship run.
After rushing for a game-high 157 yards and a major in the Eastern Final win over Edmonton, LaFrance added 42 yards on 11 carries as Ottawa would upset Calgary in the 104th Grey Cup.
LaFrance suited up at the University of Manitoba from 2012-14 and was fourth in CIS with 765 rushing yards in his senior season.
* Jonathan Marchessault and the Golden Knights ensured that the largest NHL crowd in Las Vegas since 2019 went home happy as they matched a franchise playoff record with seven goals en route to a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
* Vegas moved within two wins of its first title by matching the NHL benchmark for goals through two games of a Stanley Cup Final (12) in what is so far the highest-scoring championship series since 1982 (16 combined goals).
* The Stanley Cup Final will return to Sunrise for the first time in 27 years when the Golden Knights and Panthers contest Game 3 on Thursday. South Florida will be hosting two championship series this week as both the Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals descend on the area.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS MATCH FRANCHISE RECORD WITH SEVEN GOALS IN GAME 2 WIN
Jonathan Marchessault (2-1—3) opened the scoring for a second straight game and four of his teammates followed suit as the Golden Knights tied a franchise playoff record with seven goals, claiming a Game 2 victory to move within two wins of hoisting the Stanley Cup.
* Vegas has nine different goal scorers through the first two games of the Final, the most ever by one team through two contests of the championship series. The previous high of eight was achieved by the 2014 Kings, 2006 Hurricanes, 1982 and 1981 Islanders, 1980 Flyers and 1973 Canadiens. All except Philadelphia went on to win the Cup.
* After suffering back-to-back defeats in Games 4 and 5 of the Western Conference Final, the Golden Knights have surged back to claim three straight victories, netting five or more goals in each and outscoring opponents 18-4.
* This marks the second time that Vegas has scored five or more goals in three straight contests within a postseason, following an equal run from Game 2 to Game 4 of the 2019 First Round against San Jose. The club has never had a run of that nature extend beyond three games (regular season or playoffs).
* Vegas became the first team in 15 years to score five or more goals in each of the first two contests of the Final, following the 2006 Hurricanes who eventually lifted the Cup in a series that required seven games.
GOALS ARE CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN IN VEGAS
Jonathan Marchessault now sits one back of Leon Draisaitl (13) for the most goals in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, accumulating each of those 12 tallies in his past dozen contests. Marchessault joined Max Pacioretty (12 in 12 GP from Oct. 12 – Dec. 16, 2021) as the second player in franchise history to score at least 12 goals over any 12-game span within a regular season or playoffs.
* Marchessault’s surge includes 10 goals in nine games since his series-clinching hat trick in the Second Round at Edmonton – one of seven players to achieve that feat in the last 17 years. The others: Draisaitlin 2023, Evander Kane in 2022, Mark Scheifele in 2018, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin in 2009, as well as Johan Franzen in 2008.
* The Golden Knights have a dozen goals as a group through two games this round, tied for the most by one team through two contests in a Stanley Cup Final. They equaled the 1932 Maple Leafs, 1936 Red Wings, 1970 Bruins, 1973 Canadiens, as well as both the 1981 and 1982 Islanders.
* Overall, the 2023 Stanley Cup Final marks the highest-scoring championship series through two games since 1982.
MULTI-POINT POINT GAMES GALORE AT T-MOBILE ARENA
Twelve Golden Knights registered at least one point in Game 2, boosting the team’s total to 15 different contributors in the Final – including six who tallied multiple points Monday.
* Jack Eichel (0-2—2) became the seventh player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to record multiple points in each of his first two career contests in the Stanley Cup Final, joining Mikko Rantanen (2022 w/ COL), Valeri Nichushkin (2022 w/ COL), Thomas Gradin (1982 w/ VAN), Lars Molin (1982 w/ VAN), Derek Sanderson (1980 w/ BOS) and Max Bentley (1948 w/ TOR). Rantanen is the only member of that group to extend to three games.
* Brett Howden (2-0—2) nearly doubled his career playoff goal total after entering Game 2 with 3-4—7 through his first 21 career postseason appearances. He became the first player since 2018 to have his first career multi-goal performance (regular season or playoffs) come in the Stanley Cup Final – Tomas Nosek was the last before him, also with Vegas (2-0—2 in Game 1 of 2018 SCF).
* Chandler Stephenson (0-2—2) has points in each of the first two games of the 2023 Final (0-3—3) with Vegas after being held off the score sheet during the entire series when he faced them with Washington in 2018. He is two wins from becoming the third player in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to help defeat a team in the Final and later win the Stanley Cup with them – only Scott Niedermayer (ANA) and Billy Carroll (EDM) have done so with both championships coming within that time frame.
* Michael Amadio (1-1—2) and William Carrier (0-2—2) each assisted on Vegas’ seventh and final goal of Game 2 as the Golden Knights became the 16th team to have six or more players register multiple points in the same Stanley Cup Final contest. It was just the second instance in the past 11 years, after Colorado also did so in Game 2 last year.
BEDARD, FANTILLI, SMITH, CARLSSON MAKE THE ROUNDS AT STANLEY CUP FINAL
Forwards Connor Bedard, AdamFantilli, William Smithand Leo Carlsson– four top prospects for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft – met with media before attending Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas. The decorated quartet, all medalists on the international stage, were each in Las Vegas for the first time – and wowed by the experience. Carlsson experienced another first by attending an NHL game in North America for the first time.
* Bedard, Fantilli, Smith and Carlsson then watched as players who had been in their shoes before took to the ice for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Nine players on the Florida and Vegas rosters had previously attended the Final as a top prospect: Alex Pietrangelo, JackEichel, Phil Kessel,Aaron Ekblad, Marc Staal, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Eric Staal and Matthew Tkachuk.
SMITH NAMED WILLIE O’REE COMMUNITY HERO AWARD PRESENTED BY HYUNDAI WINNER
Dean Smith, from Halifax, N.S., is the recipient of the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award presented by Hyundai, given to an individual who – through the sport of hockey – has positively impacted their community, culture or society in Canada. Smith is a Halifax lawyer with a passion for sharing his love for hockey by creating safe and welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy the game. His involvement has included a number of inclusivity efforts to increase diversity in the game. Click here for full details.
Trevor Larnach returned from rehab, reinstated from 10-day Injured List
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have placed outfielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day Injured List (retroactive to June 3) with a left rib contusion.
Buxton sustained the injury after being hit by a pitch by Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee on June 1 at Target Field. He has hit .220 (40-for-182) with nine doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 23 RBI, 26 walks and 31 runs scored in 50 games for the Twins this season.
To replace Buxton on the 26-man roster, the Twins have returned outfielder Trevor Larnach from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 10-day Injured List. Larnach, who has missed the Twins’ last 13 games with pneumonia, recently played in three games on rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul, going 1-for-9 with one home run, two RBI, three walks and three runs scored. Prior to being placed on the 10-day Injured List, he played in 39 games for the Twins, hitting .215 (28-for-130) with four doubles, two triples, five home runs, 27 RBI, 20 walks and a .316 on-base percentage.
The following are the NFL transactions for Tuesday, June 6. Transactions will be published each day after they are circulated to NFL clubs. This public version will include waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.
WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS
WAIVER REQUESTS (All are NO RECALL)
ARIZONA
Fortunato, Joe
LS
Delaware
BALTIMORE
Henderson, Nolan
QB
Delaware
BUFFALO
Bowser, Isaiah
RB
Central Florida
SAN FRANCISCO
Wyatt, Shae
WR
Tulane
Partially Guaranteed Contract
CLAIMING DEADLINE: 4:00 p.m., N.Y. Time, Wednesday, 6/7/23
TERMINATIONS VIA WAIVER SYSTEM
ATLANTA
Peters, Jamal
DB
Mississippi State
DENVER
Crockett, Damarea
RB
Missouri
INDIANAPOLIS
Adams, Tyler
WR
Butler
PITTSBURGH
Chrest, Cody
WR
Sam Houston State
SEATTLE
Johnson, C.J.
WR
East Carolina
Merrill, Forrest
DT
Arkansas State
ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS
FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
ARIZONA
Brewer, Aaron
LS
San Diego State
Mabin, Dylan
DB
Fordham
Price, Bobby
DB
Norfolk State
BALTIMORE
Treadwell, Laquon
WR
Mississippi
BUFFALO
Floyd, Leonard
DE
Georgia
SAN FRANCISCO
Johnson, Darryl
LB
North Carolina A&T
SELECTION LIST SIGNING
MINNESOTA
McBride, DeWayne
RB
Alabama-Birmingham
(7-222)*
*Round and Overall Selection Number in 2023 Draft.
The Dallas Wings and Phoenix Mercury will try to get back on the winning track when they square off on Wednesday in the first of a two-game mini-series between the teams in Arlington, Texas.
The Wings (3-3) head home after an 80-74 loss at Connecticut on Sunday. Dallas got 26 points and 14 rebounds from Satou Sabally in the setback, while Crystal Dangerfield added 13 points before being forced from the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter. Dangerfield’s status for Wednesday is unclear.
Dallas was within four points with 9 seconds to play but would get no closer.
Natasha Howard scored 11 points and Veronica Burton had 10 for the Wings, who lost their second straight game. Star guard Arike Ogunbowale was limited to eight points on 3-of-16 shooting from the floor.
The Mercury (1-3) arrive after a 99-93 home loss in overtime to Los Angeles on Friday. Brittney Griner led Phoenix with 24 points and 11 rebounds while Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham scored 19 points apiece, Sug Sutton had 12 and Michaela Onyenwere hit for 10.
Taurasi’s 3-pointer with 3:23 to play in the extra period gave the Mercury their final lead. Los Angeles scored the next seven points and held on for the win. Phoenix had 21 turnovers that led to 16 points for the Sparks.
After finally capturing their first win of 2023, the Minnesota Lynx will aim to build on that success when they visit the New York Liberty on Wednesday.
The Lynx (1-6) ended a tough winless stretch to begin the season when they edged the host Washington Mystics 80-78 on Saturday. Tiffany Mitchell had a layup partially blocked, but she caught her own rebound and made the putback for the winning basket with 3.0 seconds left.
Kayla McBride led all scorers with 24 points, Napheesa Collier had 17 points and nine rebounds and Mitchell joined Jessica Shepard with 10 points apiece for Minnesota.
The Lynx might be catching New York, billed as a super-team before the season, at the right time. The Liberty (4-2) surrendered a 19-point lead and lost 86-82 to the Chicago Sky on Sunday.
Star free-agent signee Breanna Stewart led the Liberty in scoring for the fifth straight game with 20 points. She added 11 rebounds to make it her fifth double-double of the season. But the Liberty made just 6 of 25 3-point attempts and were outscored 17-10 at the free-throw line.
Brondello added that she felt the Liberty didn’t get Stewart enough touches.
Collier leads the Lynx in scoring (18.6 points per game) and adds 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game on the other end. She’ll match up down low with Stewart, who’s second in the WNBA with 23.7 points per game and fourth in rebounding with 10.5 per game.
New York guard Courtney Vandersloot leads the WNBA with 8.8 assists per game. She’s coming off her second double-double of the season, with 18 points and 10 assists against Chicago.
The Miami Heat are three victories away from an unlikely NBA title, a run that includes taking down the Milwaukee Bucks, the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
The eighth-seeded Heat now have an opportunity to take a 2-1 series lead over the best team in the West when they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night in Game 3 of the best-of-seven NBA Finals.
Miami took home-court advantage away from the Nuggets with a solid 111-108 win in Denver in Game 2 on Sunday. The Heat overcame a 15-point deficit to hand the Nuggets a home loss for the first time in 10 games this postseason.
Miami now sits in a highly favorable position with Game 4 also in South Florida. If the underdog Heat hold serve, they can return to Denver for Game 5 in position to clinch the series.
Surprise Finals star Gabe Vincent of the Heat just wants to focus on Game 3 and not look too far ahead.
Vincent is averaging 21 points in the series and has knocked down 9 of 16 total 3-point attempts. The undrafted player from UC Santa Barbara has scored in double digits in each of his last six playoff appearances.
Denver coach Michael Malone didn’t see the best version of his players in Game 2 and was disappointed with the effort. He wasn’t shy about verbalizing it, either.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic poured in 41 points for Denver. The Nuggets had a chance to force overtime but Jamal Murray’s shot was off the rim as time expired. Murray termed the shot as a “good look.”
What didn’t look so good to Murray was the effort of his team. The Nuggets won the opener 104-93 before losing on their home floor for the first time this postseason.
The Heat earned a split in the mile-high altitude of Denver despite a pedestrian start to the series for Jimmy Butler.
Butler scored just 13 points in the opener before contributing 21 points and nine assists in Game 2. But he is shooting just 39.4 percent from the field (13-of-33) and has attempted just five free throws.
Butler, who scored a franchise playoff-record 56 points during Game 4 of the Milwaukee series, isn’t concerned about his 17.0 scoring average against the Nuggets.
Heat guard Tyler Herro, who broke his right hand on April 16, was ruled out for Game 3. He practiced on Tuesday and is moving closer to a return.
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