‘Why can’t I be better?’: Calvin Ridley talks healing process after suspension from league

By the time the Jacksonville Jaguars play their season opening game in September, it will be 687 days since Calvin Ridley last played in a regular season game. That’s nearly two years away from football.

Two years off from anything is a long time. But two years from football?

That’s enough time for questions to be raised if he'll be the same type of player as when he left the game. But to Ridley, that time off was exactly what he needed to heal himself.

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Ridley spoke with media Wednesday for the first time since being reinstated in March and he had a lot to say.

“I’ve been good at football my whole life. I’ve not only been good, but I’ve worked to be good,” Ridley said when asked if there were any concerns of his performance after spending two years off. “They say two years off, but what about the healing process that I got with the time off? What if I got faster? What if I got stronger? Obviously, I got wiser, so why can’t I be better? I kind of look at it like that.”

Ridley missed the duration of last season after being suspended indefinitely in March of 2022 for violating the league’s gambling policy. He also missed a large portion of the 2021 season after stepping away from football due to his mental health.

He was reinstated by the NFL on March 6 and released an article two days later via The Players’ Tribune where he shed light on his situation and what he was going through.

He opened the letter by admitting he made a mistake by gambling before revealing he was playing on a broken foot during the 2020 season, had his home invaded during the 2021 opener and was feeling the pressure of being a No. 1 receiver after Julio Jones left Atlanta.

Ridley shared the highs and lows he experienced, ultimately pulling back the curtain for the world to see the pain he’d endured. But by the end of the letter, he was looking toward the future and wrote about his excitement to join the Jaguars and play alongside quarterback Trevor Lawrence, saying: “With Trevor Lawrence? I’m giving Jacksonville 1,400 yards a season, period.”

He had a chance to clarify that statement Wednesday.

“When I put that in [the Players Tribune article], I know what I can do. What I meant by that, is this: I am a 1,400-yard type of player,” he said. “God is going to determine what type of stats I am going to have. Football is not just – football is serious.

“You don’t just play 17 games straight and think you’re going to be in every one of them and playing healthy in all of them. What I’m saying is that I am a 1,400-yard receiver with a broken foot. That’s what I’m saying. I know that I can make the plays and I know that I’m one of the better receivers in this league, that’s what I’m saying.”

Relationship with Lawrence and teammates already blooming

A few weeks ago, video surfaced online of Ridley working out with Lawrence and other Jaguars’ players in Jacksonville. It further pushed the hype for the duo and Lawrence said they’ve trained together three to four times since Ridley arrived in Jacksonville.

Though they’re still in the feeling out process of their relationship, Lawrence had high praise for his new target.

“On the field, he’s a freak, just the way he runs routes, how explosive he is,” Lawrence said. “He has great hands, seems like he’s picking stuff up. Obviously, we just started, but it seems like he’s picking it up pretty quickly.”

It’s clear that Ridley is excited about the opportunity to play with the third-year quarterback. During his press conference he was asked about the thing that stood out when he watched the Jaguars last season.

“Trevor Lawrence,” he said as he interrupted the question. “It was Trevor Lawrence because I didn’t know anyone. All I knew was that he could throw.”

Ridley also said he watched every play the Jaguars ran last season “maybe 10-12 times over and over,” as he visualized himself being a part of the team and in those situations.

His takeaway from that film study?

“They d--- good. S---,” he said as he recalled thinking about joining the team in the future. “I know who I am, I can help them. I really mean that, I know I can move the ball around and what we have in that room, we should be able to move the ball, as long as we get better.”

Ridley is a respected player in Jaguars’ building and across the league

As Ridley was wrapping up his press conference, he saw a familiar face at the back of the room. Linebacker Foye Oloukun was preparing to meet with the media and had come into the room early.

Ridley gave Oluokun dap and a hug as the two switched places. The pairing spent time as teammates with the Falcons after coming into the league in the same draft class.

“First, he’s a good dude. Very respectful dude, I heard him talking about that, but he respects the game for sure,” Oluokun said about Ridley. “Even with all the talent he has, he’s a hard worker. He came in and even during OTA’s he looked ready to go.”

Ridley was also teammates with Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson at Alabama and built a relationship with wide receiver Christian Kirk stemming back to their high school days. Kirk and Ridley were ranked as top five wide receiver recruits in the 2015 class and would see each other on the camp circuit.

That relationship continued as the two declared for the 2018 draft and were both selected in the top five receivers drafted that year.

“I've had prior conversations, relationships and experiences with him, and he’s been a great dude,” Kirk said. “He’s still the same guy today. One of the cool things about football is its always full circle. Glad he's on our team now.”

Ridley has been welcomed with open arms by the Jaguars and it’s a shared embrace as the veteran receiver finds his footing in the building. As the offseason program continues for Jacksonville, Ridley can take resolve in the comradery of the team.

“I did make plays in this league, and I’ve been making plays throughout the course of my life,” he said. “Guys respect me, I’m not a disrespectful person. I’m coming at everyone with respect and just trying to make my way around, meet everyone, know everyone’s name, and just get this thing going for me, personally.”

Juston Lewis is a sports reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @JustonLewis_.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley talks suspension, healing after reinstatement