Josh Gordon is a terrific football player, but remains a work in progress off the field.
Last week, the New England Patriots wide receiver filed for reinstatement to the NFL, and his teammates have been rooting him on every step of the way. Phillip Dorsett and Jason McCourty, in particular are hoping to see their friend succeed not only on the gridiron, but off of it as well.
“It definitely would mean a lot to him, because I know it means a lot to him to just play football,” Dorsett recently told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I was definitely close to him. I just hope he gets himself right. That’s my main concern — just him as a human being. I don’t really care about the football thing. I just want to see him be healthy in his mind, his body and spirit.”
McCourty had similar thoughts on Gordon, noting that everyone on the team would be ecstatic to see him return.
“I’d be happy for him,” McCourty said. “I think at this point, everybody here, you’re just encouraging and you just hope everything is working right with him — not only with reinstatement but just in life, that he’s doing well, progressing the way he needs to progress. If the next step in that progression is coming back to the team, obviously everyone here would be thrilled to have him. He’s an awesome person, dealing with things just like the rest of us.”
Gordon was suspended indefinitely in December after violating the league’s substance abuse policy and the terms of his reinstatement. His status for the 2019 season is still up in the air, as commissioner Roger Goodell holds the key to his NFL future.