The New England Patriots are not giving up on Josh Gordon.
Gordon was acquired by the Patriots last September after a roller-coaster tenure in Cleveland which included three different suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 28-year-old appeared to be straightening things out in New England, but he stepped away in late December to focus on his mental health. The league later announced Gordon was facing a potential indefinite ban for violating the terms of his conditional reinstatement.
The veteran wide receiver will have another chance in 2019 after the league decided to once again conditionally reinstate him. Gordon was eligible to rejoin the Patriots on Sunday, and it’s clear his teammates are awfully excited to have him back in the mix. Bill Belichick has remained mum on the issue, but Stephen A. Smith believes there’s something to be said for New England’s patience with Gordon.
“I gotta admit: I think Bill Belichick’s got a softer side than most people realize,” Smith said Monday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I can’t believe I’m saying that. If you really think about it, it makes sense. Who was Josh Gordon with before he got to New England? That would be the Cleveland Browns. Who is one of the people on this entire planet closest to (Belichick)? You have several people, but one of the people very close to him from what I’ve been told is the legendary Jim Brown. And Jim Brown obviously has been synonymous with the Cleveland Browns franchise for many years and clearly he has a level of empathy and affection for Josh Gordon.
“Let’s call this what it is, and please, please, please everybody, don’t take me wrong here. I’m not being insulting in any way. I’m just speaking what appears to be factual. Josh Gordon appears to be an addict. I don’t think that’s beyond the pale. 2015, 2016, suspended for the entire year, violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. We know that problems existed in college, it followed him to the pros. 2013 when he was a 22-year-old had 1,646 yards receiving, looked absolutely spectacular. People were calling him a Hall-of-Fame talent and what have we heard about him since? Drugs, drugs, drugs or league substance abuse issues. The last couple of times he departed voluntarily. So this is something that plagued him when he was a kid. From the time he was 22 years old it was there then, 23 years old and beyond. Now he’s over 27 years of age, it’s still here. This is what the situation is. That is his checkered past.
“I know this about Mr. (Robert) Kraft: any kind of domestic violence issue, Mr. Kraft is not having that as a part of his organization. That’s a non-negotiable issue. He has told me that personally himself. Domestic violence, outta the mix — you ain’t gonna be a member of the New England Patriots. But anything else, they take a case-by-case approach and obviously Bill Belichick has a lot to do with that. The only thing that makes sense to me is that Bill Belichick has a softer spot for Josh Gordon than one possibly could have fathomed. I think Jim Brown potentially has something to do with that, although I do not know. But it’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Gordon certainly is a unique case, as the Patriots typically have a short leash when it comes to off-the-field issues and little tolerance for players who generate non-football related headlines. Yes, Gordon’s first two seasons in the league showcased his through-the-roof talent, but his sample size is rather small in the grand scheme of things.
New England, for whatever reason, appears intent on sticking by Gordon through thick and thin. Gordon’s health and well-being should be the priority, and the structure inside the walls of Gillette Stadium, in theory, should help him stay on track. But if Gordon is unable to shake his demons, it will be interesting to see how long the Patriots hitch their wagon to him.
