Gordon still aims to be best receiver of all time
BEREA, OHIO— Through the haze of his troubled past, Josh Gordon still sees a bright future. Only he can save it.
Declaring himself “clean and sober” and committed to reviving his NFL career, Gordon embarked on yet another new start with the Cleveland Browns, a team he has teased with his immense talent and deeply disappointed. One week after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated the oft-suspended former Pro Bowl wide receiver, Gordon, who hasn’t played since the end of the 2014 season, said his longterm professional goal hasn’t changed from making an indelible mark on the game.
“Ultimately my goal is to be the best wide receiver of all time,” he said in his first media session since returning. “For me, that’s always been my goal, and it’s just been reaffirmed for me time and time again and now being back in the situation to do it, I plan on seeing it through.”
But before he can get back on the field, Gordon has to prove he can maintain his sobriety while earning the trust of new teammates who only know him through highlight tapes.
Once a budding superstar, Gordon, 26, has become better known for blowing chances along with millions of dollars in the process. But following a nearly three-year absence from the field and a recent rehab stay of more than 100 days, Gordon feels he’s finally on the right path.
After reporting to the Browns on Tuesday, Gordon met with coach Hue Jackson, who outlined his expectations for the receiver.
“I was really impressed sitting across from Josh and talking to him,” said Jackson, who had Gordon in training camp last year before he checked into rehab. “I saw a young man who was a lot more mature, who understood exactly where he is and what he was trying to accomplish and do.”
Gordon is only permitted to attend team meetings and work out on his own until Nov. 20, when he can begin practicing with the Browns. As long as there are no setbacks, and Gordon remains clean, he’ll be eligible to play on Dec. 3 on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Gordon was on a trajectory to fame and fortune when he caught 87 passes for a league-leading 1,646 yards in 2013. His blend of size and speed separated Gordon from his peers and there seemed to be no limits to his potential.
Gordon, though, couldn’t escape the allure of alcohol and drugs that first seduced him in his early teens and a cycle of suspensions, rehab stays and appeals for forgiveness followed.
Earlier this week, Gordon revealed in an interview with GQ magazine that he either drank or smoked marijuana before every game of his career in college and the pros.