The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Gordon looks smooth in first practice with Browns
He is still more than a week away from playing in his first regular season game in nearly three years, but Josh Gordon returned to practice with the Browns on Nov. 22 in his next step to redeeming his career and his life.
There has to be some coincidence in getting this chance the day before Thanksgiving.
Gordon was in a similar situation in late September 2016 as a suspension was nearing an end. Four days before he was to resume practice the Monday before the fourth game of the season to resume playing in the fifth game, Gordon walked away from the Browns to check into a rehab clinic.
The Browns said all the right things about Josh Gordon the person being their No. 1 concern, but his exit left Coach Hue Jackson stunned and without his best receiver for the final 12 games. At the time, Jackson slammed the door on Gordon ever playing for the Browns again, saying; “Today is really the last Josh Gordon comment I want to make about that. I think what is best for our football team is that we move forward and move on. He is not going to be with us. We wish him well, but we are moving forward. We are going to move on.”
Jackson has had a change of heart. Part of it is compassion, but it also matters that Gordon has more talent than any receiver on the roster and that the Browns are 0-10. Jackson, like any drowning man, isn’t choosy about which life preserver he grabs.
“I was (finished with Gordon),” Jackson said after practice Nov. 22. “And for the football team a year ago, I thought it was really important to really establish a culture here that was right and strong and if somebody wasn’t going to be here, then I need to move on beyond that. And we did. So I was (done) based on what the situation was at that time.
“Let’s be honest, what this young man’s dealt with is a disease. It happens and it affects a lot of people in this world. So I had to first educate myself and understand what he was going through, what he was dealing with. I had not had a lot exposure to him, other than what I knew.
“I watched him earn the right to be back in this building. I wasn’t able to talk to him, but I was able to monitor what he was doing and understood what he was doing and what he was going through.
“I truly believe this young man’s working at it. He still has to earn that from his teammates, from the coaches and from the fans and from you. That’s what I think he understands now. So I think he’s in a lot better place, a lot better place to have more people assist him and help him through this process.”
Gordon looked smooth running routes and catching passes during the individual drills open to the media. It was his first practice in 448 days dating to Aug. 31, 2016, before his latest suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy began.
“Josh is just a different talent, and I think we all recognize that and appreciate that,” Jackson said. “I think his teammates see it and notice it and that’s what it’s all about.
“He’s a really good player. But as I told him today, he’s going to earn it. There are a lot of things he’s still got to continue to do, and work through and I think he’s willing to do that.”
Gordon hasn’t played since the 15th game of 2014. If all goes smoothly, he can be activated on Nov. 27 and play in the game with the Chargers on Dec. 3 in Los Angeles.
“I look forward to going out there and practicing with him today,” quarterback DeShone Kizer said before practice. “The guy is ultimate talent. We all know it. It’s time for him to step in and play his role on this team.”
Gordon is scheduled to meet with the media on Nov. 24. The plan is for him to practice before answering questions from reporters, and because the locker room is open before practice and there is no media availability on Thanksgiving, Gordon’s day before the digital recorders and cameras will have to wait.
Gordon caught 87 passes for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013. Kizer was a senior at Toledo Central Catholic that fall.
Gordon has played five NFL games since then. He was suspended the first 10 games of 2014 for violating NFL substance abuse policies. He played in games 11 through 15 and then was suspended the last game of 2014 for violating Browns team rules. He was suspended all of 2015, all of 2016 and the first eight games of 2017 for violating league substance abuse policy.
In a revealing GQ interview, Gordon said he abused alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and codeine throughout his career.
Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Gordon on Nov. 1. Gordon was allowed to attend meeting and work on conditioning with teammates at that time, but he could not practice with the team before Nov. 20.