This could be it for NFL wide receiver Josh Gordon. This morning, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero broke the news that the New England Patriots wideout was taking a leave of absence. But now we know why.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that he’s been suspended indefinitely.
Official from NFL: Effective today, Josh Gordon has been returned to the Reserve/Commissioner Suspended list indefinitely for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement under the Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 20, 2018
Gordon says that he’s stepping away to focus on his mental health.
— Flash Gordon (@JOSH_GORDONXII) December 20, 2018
And good on him for doing so. But it’s clear that it wasn’t voluntary. On the field, the Patriots will miss him plenty. Since arriving in New England, he’s caught 40 passes for a team-leading 720 yards. Going forward, expect Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson to get plenty of more snaps.
As things stand, the Patriots are leading the AFC East with a 9-5 record but are third in the conference. They’ve lost back-to-back games to the Dolphins and Steelers. Now the Houston Texans are 10-4 and one step closer to a first-round bye. And without Gordon, the Patriots are facing some real problems. Rob Gronkowski isn’t the same tight end he’s been for years. However, it’ll be up to the likes of Gronk and Julian Edelman to help Tom Brady out down the stretch.
In the meantime, we hope Gordon gets the help he needs. Even if it’s the end of his career as we know it.
