New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon recently announced his decision to step away from football to get his personal affairs in order. Fox Sports analyst and Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter knows all too well what he is going through.
Gordon has received plenty of flak for his decision to stop playing. Carter gave a heartfelt speech regarding the struggles of having to overcome addiction, via Fox Sports:
“It’s hard as hell. You think he meant to let people down? That’s the ongoing saga with addiction, that all we do is let people down, all we do is break our promises.
“People have not helped him, because football was always the carrot. And it should have been about life. When I went through my rehab stint, it was about trying to get my life together, and trying to have the tools that you can be successful.
“And it’s hard as hell. You think he meant to get up and do that? You think he meant to let those people down? That’s the ongoing saga with addiction, is all we do is let people down. All we do is break out promises, and that’s how strong it is.
“And the kid needs help! He does not need football. He needs help. He needs tools that he can be able to say ‘no.’ No to those drugs. No to the world, and yes to his opportunities. Yes to relationships.
“That’s what so upsetting [for] me is just the lack of understanding. This is what addicts do. They don’t show up for work. They lie. They deceive. That’s what they do. But addicts need help. Myself, I need help. Josh needs help. And I hope that he’s able to continue this long, long battle, because there is no cure. The day you’re cured is the day they put you in the ground.”
Carter certainly has the credence to speak on such a topic. He has endured his own battles with addiction throughout his personal life and professional career. Both had reached a breaking point back when he was still playing. However, he was ultimately able to overcome and went on to enjoy a Hall of Fame career. Although he has earned plenty of success amidst dealing with addiction, Carter made it clear that is it something that he still struggles with to this day.
It is difficult to imagine Gordon having the same kind of recovery that Carter did. The once-promising receiver has been in and out of the league over the past several years due to multiple failed drug tests. He was finally cleared to play prior to the 2018 campaign and was eventually traded to New England early in the season. Gordon seemed to have finally found his footing in the Patriots' offense with a couple of breakout performances. However, it is clear that he still has personal issues to deal with before he can focus on playing football. At this point, it is safe to assume that a return to the NFL is highly unlikely.
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