Josh Gordon suspended again by NFL. His career — and life — in limbo after Seahawks fit
The prayers of Russell Wilson and many other Seahawks were not enough.
Josh Gordon is suspended, his life and career in limbo. Again.
The NFL posted among its official transactions for Friday that commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended the 29-year-old former All-Pro wide receiver and father of two indefinitely, weeks after it appeared he would play again for the Seahawks.
This is the eighth suspension by the league and ninth overall in his NFL career for Gordon. He has said he began abusing multiple substances in seventh grade.
It’s another sad chapter to an incredibly sad life story.
Gordon said in December 2019 he believed he had found a new home and new start on life in Seattle and with the Seahawks. Then, after six weeks with the team following the New England Patriots waiving him because of his problems, Goodell suspended Gordon for violating the league’s policies on substance abuse and for performance-enhancing drugs.
That suspension lasted 12 months. It lasted through the Seahawks signing him to a new contract in September, with the belief he’d be reinstated to play soon. That didn’t happen until Goodell conditionally reinstated him Dec. 3 to practice with the team in early December.
“He’s an amazing receiver. A guy who was great for us last season, made some great plays,” Wilson said the day the league reinstated Gordon.
The quarterback said more than that, he hoped this reinstatement is “a testament to his growth.”
This suspension Friday is a testament to his troubles.
Gordon reacted online by posting on his Twitter account: “Wasn’t this old news”
In the three weeks between Goodell announcing Gordon’s reinstatement and his return to practice to play for the Seahawks in their game Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC West title, speculation focused on how he’d fit into Wilson’s passing offense with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett soaring in it.
It was his ninth chance to fix his life. Gordon believed Seattle was the perfect environment to do that.
Taking advantage of the chance was far more important than how he fit in the offense.
“I’m rooting for him to be able to overcome,” Wilson said last month. “I hope this time is better than the last time.”
Then, the week he was supposed to play against the Rams Dec. 27, Gordon ran afoul of the conditions for his reinstatement with the league. The NFL put him back on its restricted list, allowing him to attend team meetings but not practice or play.
All a league spokesman would confirm to The News Tribune last month was that Gordon failed to fulfill the requirements of his conditional reinstatement.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn’t at liberty then to discuss what terms Gordon violated in the league’s confidential program for drug offenders.
“We are not able to comment about any of really other than to say that he’s still in the (team training) room and working out with our trainers in getting his work done, conditioning-wise,” Carroll said Dec. 23.
Carroll said that day Gordon was “very frustrated” with the league’s decision to make him ineligible again days before he was going to play.
The Seahawks won that Rams game to win the division. But two weeks later the Rams beat Seattle in the NFC wild-card playoffs last Saturday. Gordon was sidelined for all of it. And his one-year contract ended with the Seahawks’ playoff loss.
Now he’s a free agent again.
But that’s the least of his concerns. Again.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 2:27 PM.
