Just two days after the NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting Ryan Gold, his legal team fired back — calling the charges against him completely untrue and vowing to fight the ruling.
The league announced its decision on Friday, saying it had determined that Gold leaked confidential information about upcoming draft picks and placed wagers on football games. The NFL did not identify who received the inside information.
According to league investigators, Gold revealed details about Arizona’s 2026 draft selections before they were officially announced. The probe also found that he participated in parlay bets on both NFL and college football games.
The suspension went into effect immediately, though the league’s rules do allow for an appeal process.
Attorney Mike Caspino released a statement Sunday defending his client. “Ryan Gold has been an outstanding NFL executive for over a decade,” Caspino said. “The accusations made by the league regarding his participation in prohibited gambling activities are blatantly false. We have demanded an appeal and we look forward to clearing his good name.”
Caspino offered an explanation for the gambling activity, saying it was actually Gold’s wife, Jennifer, who was placing $10 weekly parlay bets with a group of her high school friends — and that Gold had no involvement in those wagers.
The attorney also argued that Gold could not have leaked draft pick information because only Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort knew who the team intended to select, and neither shared that knowledge with Gold.
Under NFL rules, employees of the league and its clubs are forbidden from betting on sports, helping others place bets, or sharing non-public information that could be used for gambling purposes.
In its Friday statement, the NFL noted: “Although there is no reason to believe the integrity of any NFL game was affected, the league takes any violation of the gambling policy with the utmost seriousness.”
League investigators conducted interviews and reviewed electronic records during the inquiry. They found no evidence that any other Cardinals player, coach, or staff member was aware of or involved in Gold’s alleged actions. There was also no indication that the outcome of any game had been influenced.
The Cardinals released their own statement Friday expressing that they “fully support the league’s decision in this matter.” The team also removed Gold’s biography from its official website.
Gold was heading into his 13th season with the Cardinals and his second year as director of college scouting. He was elevated to that role in June 2025 following three seasons as assistant director of college scouting, a position he held after spending four years with the organization as a college scouting coordinator.
