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One of the Dallas Cowboys former receivers is facing a huge suspension from the NFL after the league found that he gambled on other sports.
Former Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Miles Austin is currently the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets, but he could be without a job after the NFL announced they were punishing Austin for gambling.
The news was first reported by NFL media insider Tom Pelissero on December 23.
“The NFL is suspending Jets receivers coach Miles Austin for violating the league’s gambling policy, per sources,” Pelissero Tweeted. “There’s no indication Austin bet on NFL games as a coach but bet on other sports which violates NFL personnel gambling policy.”
The response to the news has been mixed, as some sports fans believe that Austin is free of any wrongdoing because he wasn’t betting on the league or the Jets specifically. Others have said that it’s a necessary boundary to set for the league.
Regardless of fan reaction, this is not an open-shut situation as the latest word out of Austin’s camp is that he will appeal.
Austin’s Lawyer Drops Statement
After the news was first shared by Pelissero and other major outlets, the former Cowboys wide receiver’s lawyer, William Deni, released a statement on the matter.
“The NFL suspended Miles Austin for wagering from a legal mobile account on table games and non-NFL professional sports,” Deni said. “Miles did not wager on any NFL game in violation of the Gambling Policy for NFL Personnel. He has been fully cooperative with the NFL’s investigation. He is appealing his suspension.”
Clearly, Austin and Deni aren’t denying the fact that he was gambling on other sports or that he gambled while at the Jets’ facility. In that sense, an appeal will likely fail because it is still a direct violation of the league’s policy.
The NFL’s statement in response was brief: “The league will have no further comment until that appeal has been resolved.”
Before Coaching, Austin Caught Passes for Cowboys
Anyone who was a fan of the Cowboys in the late 2000s and early 2010s knows Austin. While never the team’s No. 1 receiver, the now 38-year-old coach made two Pro Bowls in 2009 and 2010.
Austin first joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and had to earn his way into a starting role. Pro Football Reference shows that he did not record his first regular-season catch until his second season, and had totaled just 18 receptions and 364 receiving yards through his first three seasons.
But once he was given a major opportunity in 2009, Austin never looked back. The former Monmouth star caught 81 passes for 1320 yards and 11 touchdowns, then following it up with 1041 receiving yards and seven TDs in 2010.
Austin never eclipsed the 1000-yard mark the rest of his NFL career, but remained a key player for Dallas until 2014. At that point, he took on single-season stints with the Cleveland Browns and Eagles, but never quite hit the same heights.
Austin clearly isn’t done with football, but it will be interesting to see what kind of career or place he’ll have in the NFL after his appeal.
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