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Suspended more than a year for gambling, the Broncos defensive lineman recently held a conference call with league officials.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Friday he expected suspended defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike to be reinstated by the league and join the Denver team soon.
Uwazurike had been suspended indefinitely last year by the NFL for violating its gambling policy. He served a full calendar year of that suspension before he became eligible to apply for reinstatement on July 24.
However, an investigation into his gambling activity by the state of Colorado and the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office delayed the league and commissioner Roger Goodell from hearing Uwazurike’s application for reinstatement.
It took a while but the local legal authorities confirmed Monday to 9NEWS they would not be pressing charges, clearing Uwazurike to begin the process of petitioning the league for reinstatement.
Harvey Steinberg, Uwazurike’s attorney, said local authorities had no choice but to not press charges because it was receiving their information from the state of Iowa. An Iowa court had to dismiss its case against Uwazurike and some of his Iowa State teammates because of a constitutional rights violation.
But there is the court of law, and there is the Court of Roger Goodell. Payton was confident that Uwazurike would be cleared by all judges.
“There’s good news on his front,’’ Payton said Thursday. “Everything in [Iowa] was dropped, and then other day everything in Colorado. He had his conference call with the league office. And we fully anticipate him joining us as soon as possible.
“We’re waiting on the league, but he’s in great shape,” Payton said. “We were real excited to hear that news. And so we see that happening very soon. And that’ll be an additional player for us, and we’ll be glad to have him back. So good news on that front.”
Uwazurike was initially found by Iowa and NFL authorities to have placed hundreds of bets on a FanDuel phone app while trying to disguise his identity. Included in his activity were 32 wagers placed on five Broncos’ games in the 2022 season.
He has served 53 weeks and one day of that suspension as of Thursday. In the meantime, Uwazurike, who has not been allowed at the Broncos’ facilities while serving his suspension, has attended gamblers’ anonymous meetings, separate counseling sessions and done his best to stay in football shape.
“Within the framework of that punishment, there’s communication allowed,’’ Payton said. “From Ray (Jackson, who heads the Broncos’ player development), there’s certain parts of the organization that can visit with him. And then the onus is on (Uwazurike) staying in shape. But I know he’s chomping at the bit to get back, and it sounds like it’s going to happen very soon.”
Uwazurike was a Broncos’ fourth-round draft choice in 2022 out of Iowa State. Tall by NFL defensive tackle standards at 6-foot-6, Uwazurike was inactive the first half of his rookie year before eventually playing in eight games. Details still have to be worked out, but there’s a chance once/if Uwazurike is reinstated his service time would be tolled, which would officially make him a second-year player in 2024.
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