Troubled Browns receiver to skip start of camp
A full-season comeback for Browns receiver Josh Gordon will have to wait — at least until after training camp starts.
Gordon and the team released statements Monday announcing he will not be in attendance when the team’s training camp starts as part of his “overall health and treatment plan.”
“I am reaching out to you all personally and letting you know that I am not only doing great physically but mentally as well,” Gordon said in the statement. “You will notice that I will not be in Cleveland for the start of training camp. Rest assured, this, too, is a part of my overall health and treatment plan. I appreciate the awesome support I have received from teammates, friends, fans and the Browns organization.
“Just like you, I am excited to start the season and I have every intention of being ready and available to join my teammates soon to help bring winning football to our fans.”
ESPN reported Gordon has not failed any additional tests.
Gordon returned to NFL competition last season for the first time since 2014 after the NFL reinstated him in November. The 27-year-old played sparingly in five regular-season games, catching 18 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown.
Following a breakout start to his career in 2012-13, Gordon played just five games in 2014 after he was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Another violation kept him off the field for the entire 2015 season. After almost returning in 2016, Gordon voluntarily checked himself into an in-patient rehabilitation facility. The wide receiver was denied reinstatement in May 2017 before getting the go-ahead last year.
Browns general manager John Dorsey declared the franchise’s support.
“We will continue to support Josh as he receives the care needed to maintain his progress,” Dorsey said in a release. “We are going to respect his privacy while he is away from the team. Josh will be placed on the non-football illness reserve list until he is ready to return.”
According to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, there is no timetable on Gordon’s status. McCarthy told NFL Network the matter would be addressed at “the appropriate time.”
Since joining the NFL in 2012 as a supplemental draft pick with the Browns, Gordon has 179 catches for 3,089 yards and 15 touchdowns through 40 games.
“With the help of the NFL, NFLPA, and the Browns’ organization, I have been able to utilize the resources available to me that will ensure my well-being on and off the field,” Gordon said. “By continuing to follow the plan set up by out medical director and his team and taking this time before the season starts, we believe it will help me maintain the progress I’ve made for not only today but for many years to come.”