The New England Patriots are more than happy to have Josh Gordon back, but it’s little secret he’s on thin ice.
Gordon was reinstated by the NFL on a conditional basis last week following another suspension he received back in December. The wide receiver has struggled with substance abuse and mental health problems throughout his entire career, which has led to a handful of bans.
When he’s on the field, though, Gordon is among the most electric receivers in the game, and he became a big part of the Patriots’ offense upon getting traded to New England last season.
ESPN listed the individual most on the hot seat for every NFL organization in a piece published Tuesday, and Gordon was chosen for the Patriots.
Here’s Patriots writer Mike Reiss’ reasoning:
“As Roger Goodell said when announcing that Gordon would be reinstated on a conditional basis, everyone is rooting for Gordon personally and professionally, with more folks gaining a better understanding of all that goes into mental health and addiction issues. The NFL has given Gordon several chances over the years, and if things don’t work out this time, there’s no guarantee of another chance after that. So in an organization where there aren’t any “hot seats” in the coaching and executive ranks, Gordon is the most obvious choice among the players.”
Certainly some fair points.
The Patriots don’t have a ton of depth at wideout, so losing Gordon again likely would be a gut-punch. But what’s important is that he’s on the right track off the field, and so long as that’s taken care of, the Patriots likely will benefit on the field.
