“EXCLUSIVE” The FBI has confirmed a list of seven NFL players who were closely linked to Chauncey Billups in a betting ring – and one of them is now a Philadelphia Eagles player.
The Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff immediately called an emergency meeting and issued an updated statement to the press and media, leaving the entire NFL world in shock and Eagles fans in complete confusion…
In a bombshell development that has sent shockwaves through the world of professional football, federal authorities have unveiled explosive new details in an ongoing investigation into a sprawling illegal betting operation, revealing ties that extend far beyond the hardwood courts of the NBA.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Tuesday that seven current and former NFL players were deeply entangled with Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, the Hall of Famer whose arrest last month ignited a firestorm in basketball.
What began as a probe into rigged poker games and insider sports wagering has now crossed league lines, implicating gridiron stars in a web of high-stakes gambles that prosecutors describe as one of the most audacious corruption schemes in modern sports history.
The revelation comes amid the fallout from Billups’ October 23 arrest, alongside Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and ex-Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones, as part of a multi-state crackdown on organized crime-backed gambling.
Initially focused on NBA figures leaking non-public information—such as injury reports and lineup decisions—to bettors, the investigation has ballooned to encompass Mafia-linked poker dens and illicit sportsbooks operating across 11 states. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.
of the Eastern District of New York called it “a brazen assault on the integrity of American sports,” estimating losses to victims and bettors in the tens of millions.
Billups, charged primarily with conspiracy to defraud in the poker racket where he allegedly served as the “face card” to lure high-rollers, now faces additional scrutiny for his role in bridging the scheme to the NFL.
Sources close to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity, detailed how Billups’ extensive network—forged during his 17-year playing career that included stints with the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, and others—provided a gateway for NFL involvement. The coach, a five-time All-Star known as “Mr.
Big Shot” for his clutch Finals MVP performance in 2004, reportedly hosted private gatherings in Los Angeles and Portland where athletes from both leagues mingled, swapping tips on player props, over-unders, and even game outcomes.
Prosecutors allege that these sessions, often masked as casual poker nights, funneled confidential intel to underground bookies tied to La Cosa Nostra, the notorious New York crime family. “Billups wasn’t just playing cards; he was dealing information,” one insider remarked.
The FBI’s timeline traces the operation back to at least 2019, coinciding with the post-PASPA explosion of legal sports betting, which prosecutors say created a “perfect storm” for illicit crossovers.
The seven NFL players named in the sealed indictment, obtained exclusively by this outlet, paint a picture of widespread vulnerability in football’s locker rooms.
They include: former Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Ridley, suspended for the entire 2022 season after wagering on his own team’s games; ex-Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who served a year-long ban for betting on NFL contests from team facilities; New York Jets receiver Jameson Williams, hit with a four-game suspension last year for non-NFL wagers placed on a road trip; and retired tight end Antonio Gates, who vehemently denied involvement in a statement last week, calling the links “baseless smears.” Rounding out the list are lesser-known figures: ex-Baltimore Ravens defensive back Josh Shaw, banned in 2019 for multiple NFL bets; and two active undrafted free agents, a running back from the Carolina Panthers and a linebacker from the Washington Commanders, both of whom have been placed on administrative leave pending review.
But it’s the seventh name that has ignited pandemonium in Philadelphia: Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the 2021 first-round pick out of Alabama whose silky route-running has been a cornerstone of the team’s explosive offense.
Smith, now in his fourth NFL season, was allegedly introduced to the ring through Billups during offseason training camps in Denver, where the coach once mentored young prospects.
According to court documents, Smith is accused not of placing bets himself but of unwittingly sharing “casual” updates on teammate injuries—details that were flipped into profitable props by intermediaries. “It started with a text about a hamstring tweak, nothing more,” a source familiar with Smith’s communications said.
“He had no idea it was feeding a machine.” Smith’s reps have not commented, but the timing couldn’t be worse: the Eagles, 8-3 atop the NFC East, face a pivotal Thursday night clash with the Dallas Cowboys, where his status could swing lines by double digits.
The news hit Philadelphia like a blindside blitz. Hours after the FBI’s confirmation leaked to media outlets, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni convened an emergency meeting at the NovaCare Complex, pulling players off the practice field and into a locked conference room.
General Manager Howie Roseman, usually a picture of unflappable poise, paced the sidelines as whispers spread through the facility. By late afternoon, the team issued a terse statement: “The Philadelphia Eagles are aware of the reports regarding DeVonta Smith and are fully cooperating with federal authorities and the NFL.
We take the integrity of our game and our players seriously. There will be no further comment at this time.” The brevity only fueled the frenzy—fans flooded social media with memes of Smith’s trademark cool demeanor cracking under pressure, while sportsbooks temporarily suspended Eagles-related props amid “irregular activity.”
Across the NFL, the shock rippled outward. Commissioner Roger Goodell, already on high alert after sending a league-wide memo last month reminding personnel of gambling prohibitions, scheduled an urgent call with team owners.
The league’s policy—zero tolerance for betting on NFL games, sharing insider info, or associating with known gamblers—has been enforced harshly in recent years, with over a dozen suspensions since 2019. Yet this scandal’s interstate, organized-crime flavor evokes darker echoes of the 1919 Black Sox or Pete Rose’s lifetime ban.
“The Shield is under siege,” one front-office executive lamented anonymously. “If a blue-chip guy like Smith gets caught in this, who doesn’t?”
Eagles faithful, a passionate breed weaned on heartbreak and triumph, are left reeling. Lincoln Financial Field, usually a cauldron of green-clad euphoria, now buzzes with confusion and betrayal. “DeVonta’s our guy—the Alabama kid who doesn’t say much but delivers,” said lifelong fan Maria Gonzalez, tailgating outside a South Philly bar.
“If this is true, it’s not just betting; it’s a gut punch to everything we believe about the game.” Season-ticket holders are demanding answers, with petitions circulating for Smith’s immediate benching until cleared. On X, #FreeDeVonta trended alongside #EaglesBetGate, blending support with skepticism.
As the probe deepens, questions mount.
Will the NFL impose interim suspensions, mirroring the NBA’s swift benching of Rozier? Could this unravel more names, perhaps reaching into coaching staffs or even officiating crews? Billups, out on $500,000 bond and pleading not guilty to fraud and money-laundering charges that carry up to 20 years, has gone silent, his Trail Blazers tenure hanging by a thread.
Interim coach Tiago Splitter called the allegations “devastating,” vowing to shield his team from the chaos.
For now, the NFL pauses, its multi-billion-dollar empire teetering on the edge of doubt. In Philadelphia, where football is religion, this heresy threatens to fracture the flock.
As one veteran beat writer put it: “We’ve seen scandals before, but this one feels like the fix is in on the whole damn league.” The final score? Still unwritten—but the stakes have never been higher.
