The New England Patriots have wide receiver help on the way. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, wide receiver Josh Gordon has been reinstated and will return for the 2019 season. Gordon, of course, faced an indefinite suspension after violating the NFL’s Substance Abuse Policy in the 2018 season. He previously appealed that ruling, and he’s back on the football field.
Patriots offense is getting just the boost it needed. WR Josh Gordon is now eligible to return to New England.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2019
“We are all rooting for Josh to succeed, both personally and professionally,” Roger Goodel says of Josh Gordon’s reinstatement on a conditional basis. pic.twitter.com/fomz17v7ja
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 16, 2019
Report: Josh Gordon Reinstated By NFL
Josh Gordon last played for the Patriots in Week 15’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he was supposed to play a big role in New England’s playoff push, the league issued an indefinite suspension following the matchup. According to various reports, Gordon has a slip-up during New England’s bye week and failed the subsequent drug test. This wasn’t Gordon’s first instance of drug abuse, so the league issued yet another indefinite suspension. However, Gordon has been in rehab and is hopefully back on the straight and narrow.
As of this posting, Gordon isn’t expected to miss any games in a potential suspension. The former Cleveland Brown should be active and able to play in Week One’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gordon won’t play in the preseason and has to hit “clinical care” benchmarks in order to remain on the field.
Gordon initially joined the Patriots early in the 2018 NFL season. After starting the year with the Cleveland Browns, New England acquired his services and a conditional seventh-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick. During his 10 games with the Patriots, Gordon recorded 40 receptions for 720 yards and three touchdowns, including Tom Brady’s 500th career touchdown pass.
Gordon initially entered the NFL as a second-round pick in the 2012 Supplementary Draft. Selected by the Cleveland Browns, Gordon appeared in all 16 games as a rookie, recording 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns. The Baylor product had to serve a two-game suspension to start 2013 but still managed to have one of the greatest seasons of all-time from a wide receiver. During his 14 games on the field, Gordon recorded 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. His yardage led the league despite missing two games and catching passes from Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer, and Jason Campbell.
Gordon missed portions of 2014 and 2017 as well as the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons to substance abuse issues. However, if he can finally stay clean, he can be a major upgrade to New England’s passing attack.
