New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon shockingly announced that he would be stepping away from football for the second time this season to address his mental health. However, it appears he likely would’ve been forced to step away sometime in the future anyway.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Gordon is facing another indefinite suspension for violating terms of his reinstatement under the substance abuse policy.
Adam Schefter of ESPN notes that the league has yet to decide upon a final punishment, but due to his history, Gordon faces the very real possibility of not playing in the NFL again.
Gordon has been suspended multiple times for repeated violations of the substance abuse policy. He played just five games from 2014 to 2016 due to league-sanctioned suspensions.
Obviously, this is a crushing blow to Gordon, who seemed to be turning his career around with the Patriots. In 11 games this season, he had 40 catches for 720 yards — a team-high — and three touchdowns. Tom Brady had also been full of praise for his work ethic since coming to New England.
But with Gordon now gone, the Patriots’ receiving corps will once again have to find a way to adjust. They'll need to do it soon, too, with the playoffs just around the corner.
Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan Cordarrelle Patterson, and Phillip Dorsett are still on hand out wide, with running back James White and tight end Rob Gronkowski set to be among Brady’s top receiving options moving forward now that Gordon’s out of the picture.
Follow Us
Subscribe