NASHVILLE – Titans tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere has been suspended for six games for a violation of the league's gambling policy.
The NFL made the announcement on Thursday, when it announced three other players were suspended indefinitely.
Petit-Frere was suspended for betting on non-NFL sports at the club facility. He is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games.
The gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility or venue, including the practice facility.
Earlier in the day, Petit-Frere released a statement addressing the matter:
"Firstly I wanted to say that it's an honor to play in the NFL and has been a blessing to play this game," Petit-Frere said in a statement released to ESPN. "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. 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 to my family, coaches, teammates and 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."
The Titans also released the following statement:
"We have been made aware of Nick's suspension by the league. 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."
A third-round draft pick of the Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft, Petit-Frere started 16 games at right tackle during his rookie season.
The team now faces a decision on how to best replace him at the start of the 2023 campaign.
