During his Super Bowl press conference, Roger Goodell acknowledged that he had received Josh Gordon‘s application for reinstatement. The commissioner now has 60 days to determine whether the Browns wideout should be reinstated. Before he makes a decision, Goodell wants to see whether the embattled receiver has changed his ways.
“The process is we will go back and look at how he’s conducted himself over the last several months, what he’s done to make sure it’s consistent with the terms of his suspension, and at some stage we’ll have a report on that, and I will engage with our people to understand where he is, where he’s been, but most importantly, where he’s going,” Goodell said (via Tony Grossi ESPN.com).
“When these things happen, it’s about trying to avoid them in the future. Our No. 1 issue here is to prevent these things from happening.
“I’m hopeful that Josh understands that he’s going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL and to be representing the Cleveland Browns — or any team in the NFL. So, our job is to try to get people to understand that, try to make sure that they live by the policies that we have, and ensure that this is what all of us want and also what the fans want. Our fans want everybody playing by the same rules.”
The Browns wideout was suspended indefinitely last February, and the 24-year-old didn’t play a single game this past season.According to the report, Gordon’s party “is confident he has met terms of his indefinite suspension to merit reinstatement.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Jets wideout Brandon Marshall respects Calvin Johnson‘s decision to potentially walk away from the game. “Awesome. I think that he’s strong,” Marshall told Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. “I think it takes a lot of strength and courage to walk away from the game. I think all of us face that time when we question ourselves or question our passion and love for the game, and if we want to move forward. I think most of us stick around a year or two or three too long.”
- The Ravens have traditionally avoided big-name free agents, but ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley believes if the team were to spend this offseason, they’d pursue a wide receiver. According to the writer, potential options include DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz and Roddy White.
- Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is the “overwhelming favorite” to receive the team’s franchise tag, writes Hensley.