Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon may be one step closer to an NFL return. According to a report from ESPN, Gordon was released from a rehab facility earlier this week. He stayed at the facility for 30 days.
Gordon was suspended for the entirety of last season after once again violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He applied for reinstatement in March but was denied, then applied again in July and was officially reinstated, but was suspended for the first four games of this season. Just one week before he was set to return, Gordon made the announcement that he was heading to rehab.
"After careful thought and deep consideration I've decided that I need to step away from pursuing my return to the Browns and my football career to enter an in-patient rehabilitation facility," Gordon wrote in a statement. "This is the right decision for me and one that I hope will enable me to gain full control of my life and continue on a path to reach my full potential as a person. I appreciate the support of the NFL, NFLPA, the Browns, my teammates, my agent and the community through this extremely challenging process."
After the announcement, Browns coach Hue Jackson said the team was "moving on" from the star wideout.
Per USA Today, Gordon is indefinitely suspended:
Goodell conditionally reinstated Gordon, 25, in July, saying he'd be eligible to play beginning in Week 5. But Gordon announced Sept. 29 he was entering a rehab facility instead, and the NFL was under no obligation to take him off the suspended list at that time.
His return to rehab indicates he may have had another violation. The substance abuse policy says a player's "failure to adhere to his Treatment Plan during his banishment will be a significant consideration in the Commissioner's decision." The program's medical director may require treatment at an in-patient facility, among other measures, for players in Stage Three of the program.
That may complicate the Browns' plans to trade Gordon, which the ESPN report states they intend to do. The trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 1, and Gordon may not be able to be moved if he is still suspended.
