In light of recent burglaries at the homes of NFL players, Atlanta fans may not fully appreciate how a then-26-year-old Calvin Ridley’s career was impacted by a burglary in 2021 while he was playing for the Falcons.
Coming off a stellar 2020 season with 90 receptions, 1,374 yards, and nine touchdowns, Ridley was poised to become Atlanta’s top receiver following the offseason trade of Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans. In his 2023 The Players’ Tribune article, Ridley later revealed that he achieved his 2020 performance despite playing on a broken foot, enduring Toradol shots every Sunday after sustaining the injury against Carolina in Week 8 of the 2020 season.
After a disappointing 4-12 2020 season, the Falcons revamped their staff, bringing in head coach Arthur Smith and a new trainer. That summer, Ridley was sent to a specialist, who confirmed his foot was broken—just two months before the start of the 2021 season. Feeling immense pressure to perform, Ridley underwent surgery and rushed back to training camp to prepare for the 2021 season.
Physically in pain and mentally drained, Ridley fell into a cycle of painkiller dependency. He recalled:
"I still couldn’t plant without painkillers. So you get trapped in this cycle where it’s like, ‘If you take this pill, you can run.’ … My plan was to get through another season with pills and shots. Do my job. Grit it out. I suited up Week 1 a shell of myself, but I played."Calvin Ridley
Balancing the demands of his career as a star receiver with being a father and husband left Ridley exhausted. Then, during Atlanta’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, his home was burglarized. After the game, Ridley returned home with his wife and daughter to find police officers and concerned neighbors surrounding their house. Security footage revealed several armed intruders ransacking the home.
The traumatic experience deeply affected Ridley and his wife, who became anxious whenever he was away. He described the emotional toll:
"That’s when I really just started to feel the weight of the world on my chest. I didn’t have the words for what I was experiencing yet. It felt like I was getting attacked—but almost by something invisible. It’s like I’m getting hit in my chest, 24/7, by somebody I can’t see … all I wanted was to be at home with my wife and daughter. We were supposed to go play in London, and I just couldn’t leave them. That’s when I finally broke down and told the team that I needed help."Calvin Ridley
Ridley was inactive for the Falcons' Week 5 international game against the New York Jets in London due to "a personal matter" and did not travel with the team. After a Week 6 bye, he returned to action in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins, which would be his last game for Atlanta.
He was listed as inactive before Week 8 for “personal reasons” and announced during the game that he was stepping away from football to focus on his mental well-being.
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) October 31, 2021
While away from the game, Ridley struggled with depression. A few weeks later, during a moment of vulnerability, he gambled—a decision that resulted in a suspension for the entire 2022 season. Reflecting on his mistake, Ridley shared:
"I just f***ed up. Period. In a dark moment, I made a stupid mistake. I wasn’t trying to cheat the game. That’s the thing I want to make clear. At the time, I had been completely away from the team for about a month. I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off of things and make the day go by faster. One day, I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone."Calvin Ridley
On November 1, 2022, while still suspended, Ridley was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He didn’t return to the NFL until Week 1 of the 2023 season, nearly two years after his last professional game. Despite his return, the gambling controversy continues to shadow his career.
"“Whenever people ask, ‘What were you thinking?’ The only answer I can give is, ‘I wasn’t.’ When you’re depressed, you’re not thinking about anything in the future. You’re just trying to get through the day.”"Calvin Ridley
Ridley’s journey serves as a stark reminder that NFL players are human, facing struggles both on and off the field.