FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The 2021 season seemed to hold much promise for fifth-year Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, but it ended in tumult. His 2022 campaign is over before it started, the result of a yearlong suspension handed down Monday by the NFL for gambling on its games.
Here is a timeline of events for the former first-round pick over the past 10 months:
May 3, 2021: The team picked up his fifth-year option, guaranteeing Ridley $11.1 million for the 2022 season.
June 9, 2021: The Falcons traded away wideout Julio Jones, making Ridley the team’s top receiver and, it seemed, all but guaranteed he would get a long-term extension.
June 15, 2021: Ridley spoke to the media about his offseason foot surgery that kept him from on-field work during OTAs and minicamp.
July 29, 2021: Ridley declared the foot healthy in training camp but did not participate in any preseason…
