Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was expected to be back with his team Oct. 9 when the Browns take on the New England Patriots.
Today, however, we learned that will not be the case.
Gordon and Cleveland announced that the troubled wide receiver has entered an in-patient rehabilitation facility. It is not known how long Gordon will be in the facility and if he intends on returning to the team once his stint in rehab is complete.
https://twitter.com/JOSH_GORDONXII/status/781615365679878144
WR Josh Gordon is entering an in-patient rehabilitation facility. pic.twitter.com/pv7ZD5KZuB
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 29, 2016
The Browns were the first to break the news on Gordon’s decision to get treatment. Gordon quickly acknowledged about 30 minutes later confirming his decision.
Gordon’s current suspension dates back to February 2015, when he was indefinitely suspended by NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell for multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy. Gordon was reinstated to the NFL in July but was suspended for the first four games of the season.
After making headlines too many times for the wrong reasons, Gordon seems to finally be committing to turning his life around. With all of the potential he has, he could be a very valuable commodity if he can control his off-the-field behavior.
It’s tempting to view this as a relapse or a recurrence, though that’s entirely speculation at this point. But it’s also possible that long-term, this is a step in the right direction for Gordon, and it’s not necessarily prompted by anything beyond Gordon deciding he needs more help to stay on the path he wants to travel.
