The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Gordon reinstated; future to be discussed
Josh Gordon, who hasn’t played since the 15th game of the 2014 season, is getting another chance to prove himself as a person and as a football player.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, after meeting with Gordon on Nov. 1 in New York, reinstated the 26-year-old wide receiver still working on his rookie contract with the Browns on a conditional basis.
Gordon at the earliest will not be allowed to play in a game until the Browns play the Rams on Dec. 3 — that’s if the Browns keep him. He was suspended for 50 of the last 56 games for various violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policies, plus one more game in 2014 for violating Browns rules.
“We’ve been informed of the league’s decision to reinstate Josh,” Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown said in a statement. Josh Gordon warms up before a 2016preseason game.
“The personal well-being of all our players is of the utmost importance to us. We respect and commend Josh for taking the steps necessary to have the opportunity to return to the league.
“Josh will be in our building in the coming days and we look forward to having him back and sitting with him to discuss his future on our team.”
Per terms of the reinstatement, Gordon can join the Browns immediately in team meetings,
conditioning and individual workouts. Because they are their bye, however, the players won’t reconvene until Nov. 5.
“Subject to compliance with clinical and other requirements, (Gordon) will be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list and be permitted to practice with the team beginning on Monday, November 20,” according to the news release.
At the Browns’ discretion, Gordon can be added to the active roster on Nov. 27, which would make the game with the Rams the first in which Gordon can play.
“As emphasized at today’s meeting, everyone — including Josh’s teammates and coaches, the Browns’ ownership and organization, the Program professionals and all of us at the league office — want him to have every opportunity to resume his career and to be successful in the NFL,” Goodell said in a statement. “Whether that happens, however, at the end of the day will depend on Josh.
“His commitment to sobriety and to reaching his goals in football and beyond will determine his success. It ultimately is up to Josh.”
Convincing Goodell he is sober and won’t fall into the same trap again could not have been easy for Gordon. During a documentary last month on “Uninterrupted,” a site started by LeBron James, Gordon revealed how severe his substance abuse problem is.
“I’ve used alcohol on many, many occasions, Xanax on many occasions, cocaine several occasions, marijuana most of my life, codeine, and cough syrup. Methazine is very prevalent where I’m from,” Gordon said. “It’s what I grew up using.
“I’ve been enabled most of my life, honestly. I mean, I’ve been enabled by coaches, teachers, professors; everybody pretty much gave me a second chance because of my ability.”
Because of all the suspensions, Gordon remains under contract to the Browns through 2018. Since he was reinstated one day past the 2017 trading deadline, their options are to keep him, release him now or trade him in March when the 2018 league year begins.
The dilemma for the 0-8 Browns is he would immediately become the best receiver on the roster, as he demonstrated in the 2016 preseason after being reinstated by the league after a 2015 suspension.
Part of the 2016 rein- statement included being suspended for the first four games of 2016. Gordon was all set to rejoin the Browns, but then checked himself into a rehab clinic in New Hampshire four days before he would have resumed practicing. At that time, coach Hue Jackson seemed ready to wash his hands of Gordon completely.
“Obviously, Josh is not here and is doing what he thinks he needs to do for his life, which we support 100 percent,” Jackson said on Sept. 30, 2016. “Today is really the last Josh Gordon comment I want to make about that. I think what’s best for our football team is that we move forward and move on. He’s not going to be with us. We wish him well, but we are moving forward. We are going to move on.”
Gordon, suspended for the first two games of 2013 for using codeine, finished that season with 87 catches and an NFL-leading 1,646 yards receiving. He scored nine touchdowns.