The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting Ryan Gold indefinitely after an internal investigation found two violations of the league’s gambling policy, the league announced Friday.
According to the NFL, Gold shared confidential, non-public information about the Cardinals’ 2026 draft selections before those picks were made public. Investigators also determined that he took part in parlay bets involving both NFL and college football games. The league did not say who received the draft information.
In its statement, the NFL said the investigation found no evidence that any game was compromised. "There is no reason to believe the integrity of any NFL game was affected," the league said.
The Cardinals said the matter involved one employee and that the team cooperated fully with the league. "The NFL's policies and expectations for all employees are clear, comprehensive, and consistently communicated," the team said.
Gold has spent 13 seasons with Arizona and was elevated to director of college scouting in June 2025. Before that, he served three years as assistant director of college scouting and four seasons as a college scouting coordinator.
The NFL said its review included interviews with relevant individuals and a look at electronic records. It found no sign that any other Cardinals personnel, including coaches or players, knew about or were involved in Gold’s conduct.
Gold can appeal the suspension. The case adds another entry to the league’s recent gambling enforcement history, though discipline involving front office staff is still much less common than player suspensions.
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans Just Got Their First Real Read On Mike Macdonald
HBOs first trailer for the upcoming Hard Knocks training camp edition centered on the Seahawks offers the clearest public look yet at Mike Macdonald, and it comes with the kind of stage only this franchise has not had before. The coach is front and center throughout the preview, which also includes glimpses of Sam Darnold, Devon Witherspoon, AJ Barner and others as the show starts to sketch out what Seattles camp atmosphere might look like heading into the season.
For Seahawks fans, the appeal is less about secret football intel than about getting a feel for the people and the tone around the building. After years of one very recognizable coaching identity, this is a chance to see how Macdonald presents himself when the cameras are rolling and how the roster responds to him in a setting built to reveal personalities as much as preparation. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Add Brandon Johnson As Harrison Bryant Becomes First Camp Cut
The Seahawks made a small but telling camp move by bringing in cornerback Brandon Johnson and opening a spot by waiving veteran tight end Harrison Bryant. Johnson, who played at Duke and Oregon before reaching the NFL with Philadelphia, saw action in three games last season and now gets a chance to compete on Seattles 90-man roster as the team keeps sorting out its early depth.
The timing suggests the addition is at least partly about coverage and competition while Nick Emmanwori works through a minor injury. For a team in the middle of camp, these are the kinds of transactions that rarely dominate the conversation but can matter a lot in the short term, especially when the Seahawks are looking for healthy bodies and enough flexibility to keep practices moving. [Read more 🡒]
Another Seahawks Assistant Is Suddenly Drawing Outside Attention
The Seahawks have already seen one assistant climb the ladder this offseason, with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak leaving for a head coaching job with the Raiders. Now another member of Mike Macdonalds staff is getting a fresh look from the outside, as Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic pointed to defensive coordinator Aden Durde as one of the leagues more intriguing coaching names after the work he has done in Seattle.
Durde still has not drawn the kind of head coaching buzz his reputation might suggest, even after a season that has put him on the radar of evaluators around the league. Rodrigue also noted special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh as another promising assistant with a strong coaching background and recent success in Seattle, a reminder that the Seahawks may be building more than just a good staff for the moment. [Read more 🡒]
