CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A potential complication has arisen regarding the reinstatement from a gambling suspension of Broncos’ defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike.
His matter is under review by the Colorado Department of Revenue and Arapahoe County prosecutors to determine whether any state gambling laws were violated, sources told 9NEWS. While no charges have been filed and it’s not yet known whether charges will be filed, 9NEWS has learned Arapahoe County is working with the state’s gaming department on a criminal investigation regarding Uwazurike.
Sources also said the NFL is waiting until state and local authorities conclude their review before determining whether to reinstate Uwazurike. This could happen when he is eligible to apply for reinstatement on July 24, or the day after Broncos veteran players report to training camp.
While players are often reinstated by the league the same day they apply, it’s important to note each case is different. In Uwazurike’s case, he is accused of placing 32 bets on five Broncos games, including one in which he played, according to a criminal complaint filed last year by the Story County (Iowa) Attorney's Office.
In another twist, the initial gambling allegations against Uwazurike and other Iowa State athletes were suppressed and dismissed because it was determined the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation wrongfully used a geolocation software to collect information on their locations. Attorneys for the plaintiffs, including Uwazurike, successfully argued that using the geolocation software was a violation of their constitutional rights.
Uwazurike is represented by Harvey Steinberg, the prominent local attorney who has successfully won cases for several Broncos’ players, most notably for Bill Romanowski and Perrish Cox.
“Iowa court suppressed all evidence seized, finding it was taken illegally,’’ Steinberg said when contacted by 9NEWS. “That ruling is binding on the Colorado courts and the Colorado prosecutors. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to attempt to prosecute a case here when all the charges were dismissed in Iowa as result of that ruling.”
A Broncos fourth-round draft pick out of Iowa State in 2022, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound Uwazurike is a talented if raw defensive lineman with interior pass-rush skills. During his rookie season, a complaint filed by Iowa law enforcement alleged Uwazurike made hundreds of sports wagers using the FanDuel app, including games involving Iowa State and the Broncos.
The NFL then conducted its own investigation and levied an indefinite suspension on Uwazurike with reinstatement to be considered no earlier than July 24, 2024, which is one full calendar year from the start of his suspension. That potential reinstatement application date is now less than three weeks away.
Should Uwazurike be cleared and reinstated by the league, the Broncos would have to decide whether to activate him on their roster. According to sources, the door has not been closed on Uwazurike’s return.
Last summer, Broncos head coach Sean Payton publicly supported Uwazurike by placing blame on the league and “teachers” for not properly educating players on its gambling policy and consequences for violations.
Payton and several Broncos players said Uwazurike is a good person who made a mistake and has since paid for those mistakes – not only was he suspended from games and practices the past year, but Payton blasted the league policy for not allowing him around the team facility during his football sentence – and his is a life, much less a career, worth redeeming.
According to a source close to Uwazurike, he has shown contrition and a willingness to change, as he has been attending once-a-week gambler’s anonymous meetings the past year. In addition, Uwazurike has been attending therapy sessions once a week apart from the gambler’s anonymous meetings.
The flip side is a matter of trust. Football teams guard their strategic secrets as a military four-star general would a planned attack on the enemy. Even if Uwazurike began the year on the practice squad to help shake off the rust from a lost season, he would still be privy to secretive meetings, practices and walkthroughs.
Other NFL players suspended for gambling had mixed results upon their reinstatement. Some like Jameson Williams and Nicholas Petit-Frere were welcomed back to their teams after they were reinstated from gambling policy violations by the league. Those two players were suspended for six games. They placed wagers while at team-sanctioned facilities but did not bet on NFL games.
Calvin Ridley, suspended for a season, was traded away by Atlanta, then had a great year with Jacksonville. Other players like Isaiah Rodgers, Rashod Barry, Demetrius Taylor Quintez Cephas, C.J. Moore and Shaka Toney were released either once their suspensions were announced or soon after they were reinstated.
Uwazurike could be considered a unique case in that he was a mid-round pick who had little production through two years but also has the potential to become an impact player. As for Uwazurike the person, he has demonstrated a willingness to put gambling behind him and reestablish trust.
9NEWS investigative reporter Kevin Vaughn contributed to this report.
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