Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Receiver Josh Gordon has officially submitted his reinstatement letter to the league office and commissioner Roger Goodell, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Gordon’s most recent reinstatement was rescinded in February, making him once again suspended indefinitely. He was then released by the Seahawks in early March. He said a few weeks later that he hoped to eventually return to the NFL again, and now he’s making moves in that direction. Schefter notes that Gordon “hopes to be with a team for training camp.”
He also reports that the NFL has been giving the former Brown and Patriot random drug tests for the past three months, and that Gordon is “said to have passed all tests.” That’s great news, and hopefully he can keep it up. Gordon, of course, appeared on the verge of becoming a superstar with Cleveland back in the day before substance abuse issues derailed his career.
He was a first-team All-Pro in 2013 when he led the league in receiving yards with 1,646 in only 14 games, but things quickly unraveled after that. He’s been suspended numerous times, and last played in 2019 when he appeared in six games with New England and five with Seattle.
He only just turned 30, so he should have plenty left in the tank physically. Whether he can keep things in order off the field is an entirely different question, and he likely won’t have teams beating down his door assuming Goodell even approves another reinstatement.
He won’t get much, if any, guaranteed money, and will need to settle for a short prove-it deal if he gets cleared by the league. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear more.
Dude needs to just stop trying to play football and try and get healthy. He’s got issues he needs to deal with obviously and football doesn’t help.
Too much free time certainly isn’t going to help anyone with addiction problems so the discipline football demands would actually benefit him. I’m not a fan of Gordon but I have to respect the perseverance he has shown.
Yeah but he has tried the return to the structured environment of the NFL many times and that hasn’t helped. Why would it be any different this time around? He needs to grow up and take some ownership over his problems. I’m not a fan of his either but I hope he can do that.
“Too much free time” may what he needs. Alone is when tough questions get asked and answered- or they don’t. My sister has been clean for 5 years and told me it can’t be conditional and that being alone is when she made her hardest choices.
Aren’t the Patriots supposed to be the pinnacle of discipline and he lasted a couple of weeks there. He needs a crew of people making sure he gets himself clean. He’s been suspended numerous times from the league. Football isn’t helping. If anything it’s hurting.
Josh Gordon has his demons.
The owner of the Browns, Jimmy Haslam, engaged in a multi year scheme to defraud his business’ customers out of millions of dollars.
Which one does the NFL treat like a criminal?
They treat Josh Gordon as a habitual offender of the NFL drug policy. What does that have to do with Jimmy Haslam? How many “2nd chances” has the NFL given Gordon? If anything, it’s Gordon who is getting special treatment.
So, “if anything” Gordon being punished for his failures while Haslam goes unpunished for his crimes is…Gordon getting “special treatment”?
No. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. You said that the NFL was treating Gordon like a criminal and that’s just not true.
Haslam is a criminal.
Which of the two did they punish?
And, it’s funny, you say “The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other” and yet you also said “If anything, it’s Gordon who is getting special treatment.” comparing their respective treatments when you felt you could do so unfavorably to Gordon. When the comparison is unfavorable to Haslam THEN “the two have absolutely nothing to do with each other.”
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Fool me three times, fool me four times, fool me five times, fool me six times…
none ban him from the NFL for life . the Dudes has far to many chances when others only get one or two . my opinion .
Was it substance abuse that got him derailed or just being a Richard Cranium? I think the drug use was always there but was covered up by the school or University. The Richard Cranium started when he got full of himself and had a higher value than any other team would give him.
I’m all for second chances but Josh has done nothing to show he will succeed. Too bad. I wish him well.
This is a tired story … I’m all for 2nd chances .. but good grief … it’s like groundhog year
Or Pacman Jones
Annual event
Kinda becoming the Steve Howe of the NFL lol
Part of me says give it up already, but the other part of me hopes to see this young man FINALLY overcome his demons on his 83rd chance and live a healthy and productive life.
So he was suspended in February and already trying for reinstatement? Been suspended more time than he’s actually played
He’s not a criminal. He’s trying to play football and smoke weed. Nate Diaz tried to get a medical card and still fight in UFC events. Didn’t work out for him either. Can’t bend the rules in place. But truth is they should stop testing for Marijuana. These dudes get hit like car accidents and just sued over CTE Yada Yada. Let em smoke. Let’s find out if it helps recovery.
He has been a criminal and has also other issues than just weed. If he can’t stay clean in the limited opportunity he has to play how can we expect him to live a productive/successful life once the game is no longer an option. Time to get your shiznit together Josh!
Dude will be petitioning the NFL for reinstatement when he is in a wheel chair.
He’s 30. For NFL receivers that indicates “done”.
Ricky Watters should be in the HOF
Steve Young didn’t win without him, and he’s in.
Can anyone explain how’s he’s not, and why he shouldn’t be?
For who, for what?
Wasn’t it just pot? Or was there more substances?
Again? LOL
A short prove it deal, aka Josh’s normal length season.
Give it up Gordon…you’ve become the modern day Steve Howe…loads of talent but zero common sense.
Dude has more lives than a cat.
This is about weed right? If Bill Barr thinks it’s time for the feds to decriminalize cannibas, then maybe the NFL can get off this guy’s back?? I think that Gordon being punished for pot and women beaters like Antonio Brown being welcomed to the Super Bowl makes the NFL look very stupid and out of touch.
Bill Barr? That guys retired, time to blame it on somebody else.