Time for splash, Gordon
SOME football fans face a dilemma Sunday with the return of Browns receiver Josh Gordon — having been suspended for 53 games for a litany of violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
Gordon, who was suspended for all of 2015 and 2016 and has not played in a regular-season game since December 2014, was reinstated by the league last month, practiced with the Browns last week, and Cleveland coach Hue Jackson told reporters he plans to start him Sunday against the Chargers.
Some fans might be tired of hearing about Gordon’s repeated problems and are upset he’s getting yet another chance. Those who believe in second, third and even fourth chances and want to witness Gordon display his raw talent are interested to see him back.
The Gordon detractors surely weren’t happy to see Gordon’s comments in a recent Sports Illustrated story, in which he boasted about making as much as $10,000 per month selling marijuana while in college at Baylor. He admitted being involved in carjackings and armed robberies and shootings.
In an earlier profile story Gordon did with GQ , he admitted he drank or used drugs before every NFL game he played.
Though some may argue, the Cleveland coach said Gordon has “earned the right to get back here.’’
“He’s got to earn the right to be here each and every day, and he’s been outstanding thus far here,’’ Jackson told reporters this week. “Obviously I think he understands that the antennas are up everywhere, and they should be.’’
Those words were a bit tempered compared with the way he spoke about the Gordon situation Monday, when he compared having Gordon back to getting a new toy for Christmas.
“My plans for him? Oh boy, let me tell you,” Jackson said Monday. “I got big plans for him. I plan for him to play and play as much as he can handle.”
Gordon told reporters this week he’s as “excited as ever” to return.
“I think the sky is the limit,’’ he said. “I feel that I’m in great shape … and if I can just help out there and try to make a play and try to put us in position to win.”