Fact Check: Is Michael Pittman Jr. suspended? Busting myth around NFL gambling investigation

A report on Monday states Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman is being investigated for potential violations of the NFL gambling policy. The story went widespread among NFL enthusiasts and caused some frenzy within the league.

However, the news is false, and there is no validity. The news came from a parody account of NFL insider Adam Schefter on Twitter and has tricked many people into believing the erroneous report about the wide receiver.

According to the Twitter account purporting to be Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pittman was not merely under investigation but had already received a substantial suspension for his offenses. The tweet at 4:14 pm ET stated:

“#Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. has been suspended for the 2023-2024 NFL Regular Season following an investigation related to gambling, per sources.”

The fake Schefter's Twitter account

According to Twitter statistics, the tweet has currently been viewed by over 400 thousand platform users. Upon closer examination, it becomes evident that the account claiming to be Adam Schefter, which tweeted about Pittman's suspension, is actually a fake account.

The fake account user was able to dupe many people into believing his news. It can be observed that the genuine Twitter handle for Adam Schefter is @AdamSchefter, whereas the account that shared the information about Pittman's suspension is @adamscheftrrre.

Elon Musk has introduced confusing rules regarding verified and unverified accounts on Twitter since he acquired the social media platform. However, it is important to note that Adam Schefter possesses a verified account, whereas the fake account is not verified.

Using the same name and photos led some individuals to believe that Pittman was the person facing suspension mistakenly. Identifying fake accounts can sometimes require careful scrutiny. This can be crucial for Twitter users in the current reign of Elon Musk.

If not Pittman, who’s under investigation?

The reports regarding Pittman were somewhat more believable due to the emergence of news stating that a member of the Colts team was under investigation. This prior information may have contributed to a higher level of credibility assigned to the reports involving Pittman.

According to Destin Adams, Colts’ Fan Nation correspondent, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was the Indianapolis Colts player under investigation. This information from a credible source clarified the situation and identified the player involved in the NFL investigation.

The report was supported by multiple sources, including reliable accounts such as Adam Schefter's verified Twitter account. This widespread confirmation from trusted sources further solidified the credibility of the information regarding Isaiah Rodgers' situation.