In a surprising turn of events, NFL rookies Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers have found themselves toeing the line of the league's gambling policy even before playing their first professional game. The NFL's gambling policy explicitly states that any form of commercial gambling involving third parties or private wagers between teammates and friends is strictly prohibited.

Daniels and Nabers, who were teammates at LSU and close friends, unknowingly stumbled into trouble when they made a substantial $10,000 bet on who would win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award for the upcoming 2024 season. While this may have been just friendly banter between the two, the NFL is now facing a predicament.

To avoid the need for investigation and potential suspensions, everyone involved is hoping for a suitable solution that will make the bet disappear as if it never happened. Nabers himself revealed the bet during an appearance on "The Pivot" podcast, stating, "We got a bet going for Rookie of the Year. Whoever loses has to pay, I think it's $10,000 cash."

Confirming Nabers' revelation, Daniels admitted his discomfort with the public disclosure of the bet, stating, "Man, he wasn't supposed to tell anybody. It's supposed to be - we got a little something going on." The NFL has been monitoring the situation but has declined to comment on the matter.

Fortunately for Daniels and Nabers, the bet was made prior to them becoming NFL players, meaning that sanctioning them for violating the league's policy would be challenging. The apparent solution lies in both rookies being educated on the NFL's gambling policy at their respective team's rookie minicamps.

Daniels will receive the briefing at the Washington Commanders' rookie minicamp, while Nabers will be briefed at the New York Giants' rookie minicamp. It is expected that both players will come to understand that their friendly wager goes against the league's gambling policy, and publicly walk away from it.

The league should take this incident as a lesson and consider beginning the education on the gambling policy earlier in the NFL's training process. Currently, rookies are typically informed about the policy during their teams' rookie minicamps. However, this episode before the draft going public before minicamps highlights the need for earlier training, possibly during the scouting combine in February.

As the NFL strives to protect the integrity of the game and uphold its gambling policy, closing the gap in education and ensuring all players are well-informed should be a priority. With both Daniels and Nabers expected to rectify the situation, it seems unlikely that either will insist on continuing the bet.