The NFL announced on Friday, July 17th, 2026, that Ryan Gold, the Arizona Cardinals' director of college scouting, has been suspended indefinitely for violating the league's gambling policy. Following an investigation, the NFL determined that Gold provided confidential, non-public information about the Cardinals' 2026 NFL Draft picks before they were made, although the recipients of this information were not disclosed.

Additionally, the league found that Gold placed parlay bets on NFL and college football games. Despite these violations, the NFL stated that there is no reason to believe the integrity of any NFL game was affected.

The NFL's Gambling Policy, which is reviewed annually with all personnel, strictly prohibits participation in or facilitation of any form of sports gambling and forbids providing third parties with non-public information. The league emphasized it takes any violation of this policy with the utmost seriousness.

Gold has been with the Arizona Cardinals for 13 seasons. He was promoted to director of college scouting in June 2025 after serving three seasons as assistant director of college scouting and four as college scouting coordinator. His responsibilities included the day-to-day operation and organization of the Cardinals' college scouting department, evaluating draft-eligible prospects, managing the scouting staff, and coordinating pre-draft events.

The NFL reiterated that the integrity of NFL games was not impacted by the findings related to Gold's conduct.

Sources