Nick Petit-Frere & Rashod Berry Suspended By NFL

A pair of former Buckeyes have been suspended by the National Football League for breaking the strict gambling policies set by the league.

Offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere and defensive end Rashod Berry were each named in a release that totaled four players being hit with suspensions.

Petit-Frere was a third-round selection by the Tennessee Titans and will now miss six games of action. NPF was adamant that he did not bet on football and reinforced that in a statement to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

“The betting I was engaged in was NOT NFL related and was legal under Tennessee law,” Petit-Frere said to Schefter. “It is only being sanctioned because it occurred at the Titans facility.”

In a statement from the National Football League announcing the suspensions, it reiterated its gambling policy as:

The gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility or venue, including the practice facility. 

NPF started in 16 games during the 2022 season and looked locked into his starting position for the 2023 season. Those plans have been delayed as he will miss the first six games of the year.

The former five-star recruit redshirted as a true freshman at Ohio State as he worked to get his weight up to the size needed to play offensive tackle in the Big Ten. Once he got on the field, it was difficult to get him off the field as he had a stellar career with the Buckeyes that saw him named a second-team All-American in 2021.

He would go No. 69 overall in the 2022 draft to Tennessee. He will be eligible to participate in offseason workouts and preseason games before having to serve his suspension per a NFL release.

Berry has been suspended indefinitely and per the terms of his suspension, cannot apply for reinstatement until the completion of the 2023 season.

He graduated from Ohio State in 2019 and played in 50 games during his Ohio State career to go along with four starts. The play that most fans may remember is his touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins at Maryland in overtime. That would lead Ohio State to a 52-51 win in the 2018 season. Berry would switch over to defense eventually.

Berry was undrafted coming out of Ohio State and has bounced around from practice squad to practice squad before being signed to Indianapolis’ active roster in January of 2023.

Shortly after the suspensions were announce the Colts waived Berry.

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