Josh Gordon applied for reinstatement in the first week of March, and his reinstatement has officially been denied by the NFL, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.
Josh Gordon denied reinstatement by NFL
The Browns wideout will have to wait until the fall to appeal again.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Gordon had a breakout season in 2013 when he led the NFL in receiving with 1,646 yards on 87 receptions. Since then, he’s had plenty of off the field issues, resulting in four different suspensions. One of his suspensions, for violating the league’s policy on substance abuse, lasted the full 2015 season.
He’s sat out the past two seasons, and at 26 years old, he’s looking to restart his career while still relatively young for an NFL wide receiver. In 2016, he played well during the preseason while he was conditionally reinstated. As he was set to return in Week 5, he entered rehab instead, and didn’t play during the year.
“What’s best for our football team is that we move forward and move on,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said in September, via Cleveland.com.
Gordon’s agent terminated their business relationship about two weeks before the league ruled against reinstatement, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson.
In March, his business manager Michael Johnson told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “Josh is living with me and is in the best place mentally that he has been in dating back years before entering the NFL.”
Johnson added, “He’s also in the best shape of his life and feels even better than he did when he had his breakout year in 2013.”
Gordon posted an Instagram photo of himself in March, showing off his physique:
But the league isn’t ready to give Gordon another chance. Gordon is eligible to reapply for reinstatement this fall.
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