Ryan Gold, the Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting, has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's gambling policy, the league announced on Friday.
According to the Associated Press, an investigation found that Gold shared confidential, non-public information about Cardinals draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft before those picks were made public. The league did not identify who received the information.
The investigation also found that Gold made parlay bets on NFL and college games, which is a separate violation of league policy. Both findings contributed to the indefinite suspension.
In a statement, the NFL addressed both violations directly. "The Gambling Policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, strictly prohibits anyone in the NFL from participating in or facilitating any form of sports gambling, and from providing third parties non-public information," the statement reads. "Although there is no reason to believe the integrity of any NFL game was affected, the League takes any violation of the Gambling Policy with the utmost seriousness."
The Cardinals organization released its own statement and confirmed only one employee was involved. "The NFL's policies and expectations for all employees are clear, comprehensive, and consistently communicated. We fully support the league's decision in this matter, which involves a single employee. Our focus remains on preparing for the start of training camp next week and the 2026 season."
Gold has been with the Cardinals organization for 13 seasons, according to the team's website. He spent four seasons as college scouting coordinator, three as assistant director of college scouting, and was promoted to director of college scouting in June 2025. In that role, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Cardinals' college scouting department, managed scouting staff, and coordinated pre-draft events, including the evaluation of draft-eligible prospects.
The indefinite nature of the suspension means there is no set return date. Gold will be absent as the Cardinals head into training camp, which the team said begins next week. The 2026 NFL season represents Gold's first full draft cycle as director after his promotion last year.
The NFL has suspended multiple personnel and players in recent years under its gambling policy, which covers not only bets placed on NFL games but also the sharing of inside information that could give gamblers an edge. The league treats both categories as serious violations regardless of whether game outcomes were affected.
