What Nicholas Petit-Frere, Tennessee Titans said about NFL gambling suspension
The Tennessee Titans have released a statement regarding the six-game suspension of offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere for violating the league's gambling policy.
“We have been made aware of Nick’s suspension by the league," the statement reads. "We believe in Nick and know that he has deep respect for the integrity of the game and our organization. We will continue to emphasize to our players the importance of understanding and adhering to league rules and policies.”
Petit-Frere is one of four players the NFL suspended Thursday as the league continues to crack down on gambling. Petit-Frere's suspension is only six games because he didn't gamble on the NFL but did place bets on other sports while in the Titans' facility, which is not permitted by league rules.
In a statement to ESPN, Petit-Frere said he didn't willfully violate the rules and rather broke the policy without full comprehension of what was and wasn't allowed.
"The NFL plans to announce another round of sanctions regarding its gambling policies and I will be included in this group of players receiving a six-game suspension," Petit-Frere said. "The betting I engaged in was NOT NFL related and was legal under Tennessee law. It is only being sanctioned because it occurred at the Titans facility.
"I want to apologize family, coaches, teammates and the Titans fans. I have always strived in every stage of my life to follow the rules. I did not knowingly break the rules. Even after attending a league presentation, I was unaware about the specifics around placing bets from a team facility. I will do everything in my power to help the team during training camp and will be prepared when I return to the roster during the season."
Petit-Frere started 16 games for the Titans as a rookie in 2022 at right tackle. He is expected to start at the spot again for the Titans, but in his absence the team will have to sub in anyone from rookies Peter Skoronski and Jaelyn Duncan to veterans like Jamarco Jones. Third-year tackle Dillon Radunz is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the season as he recovers from ACL surgery.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Nicholas Petit-Frere, Tennessee Titans said: NFL gambling suspension
