NFL Rumors: Browns Believed Josh Gordon Was ‘Struggling To Stay Sober’

Josh Gordon has made an effort to tackle his substance abuse issues. But the Cleveland Browns apparently weren’t convinced.

Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirmed in a column Sunday morning that the wide receiver injured his hamstring at a promotional shoot last Friday night, three days before Cleveland traded him to the New England Patriots.

But while Gordon’s injury may have irked the Browns, there was another reason the team decided to finally sever ties with the 27-year-old, according to Cabot.

“… The final straw was Gordon showing up at the facility about 10 minutes late Saturday and ‘not himself,’ ” Cabot wrote. “Some felt that he had slipped in his recovery program, after just returning Aug. 18 from another stint in treatment at the University of Florida.”

Gordon missed all of Cleveland’s training camp and most of the preseason while seeking treatment for a serious alcohol and drug addiction that led to several suspensions and fines. He appeared to be back on track after playing in Week 1, but following last weekend’s episode, the Browns came to a final conclusion, per Cabot.

“They believed he was still struggling to stay sober, and they felt they had done all they could,” Cabot wrote.

Cabot added that if Gordon did slip in his rehab, the Browns likely notified the NFL, which worked closely with the team on the wideout’s recovery plan. We obviously don’t know if Gordon has managed to stay clean in the last few days, but the Patriots apparently felt confident enough to bring him in.

The 2013 Pro Bowler could thrive in New England if he’s able to stay sober, but Cabot reports some close to the situation are “skeptical about that happening.”

Gordon traveled with the team to Detroit ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Lions yet may be a true game-time decision due to his hamstring injury.