The Detroit Lions recently re-signed safety C.J. Moore to a one-year contract after he served a season-long suspension for betting on NFL games; the 28-year-old has spoken publicly for the first time about the situation.

The Mississippi native was cut from the roster in April 2023 when the allegations first came to light, with four other Lions players also receiving bans at the same time. He appeared in front of the press on Thursday as the team held its first organized team activities open session of the year.

admitted to knowing the rules and that he was immature to still break them

While he did not reveal the specifics about the volume of bets or monetary value of his wagers, he took complete responsibility for his actions. Moore admitted to knowing the rules and said that he was immature to still break them. He now walks away if his teammates discuss betting and he tries to make sure that others don’t make the same mistake.

The ban led to uncertainty in the defensive back’s life, not knowing if he would ever make it back to the NFL. Moore said some positives came from the situation as he had to “be a good pro and just try to prepare to come back.” He got married during the break and his wife gave birth to their second child.