Josh Gordon's return to the NFL will have to wait a while longer. According to a report from USA Today, Gordon's latest petition for reinstatement was denied by the league.
Source: The NFL has denied #Browns WR Josh Gordon's reinstatement petition. He can reapply this fall.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 11, 2017
Gordon applied for reinstatement from his indefinite suspension in early March, and reports indicated that he expected to hear back from the league in late April or early May.
Gordon, who recently turned 26, hasn't played in the NFL since 2014. He was suspended for the 2015 season for repeated violations of the league's substance abuse policy (after having already been suspended for two games in 2013 and 10 games in 2014). Gordon applied for reinstatement in March 2016 and had his petition denied. After applying again, he was reinstated in July 2016 but suspended for the first four games of the season.
Shortly before he was set to return from that four-game suspension, Gordon checked himself into 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 at the time. "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."
He stayed at the rehab facility for 30 days, checking out in late October. Gordon's suspension reportedly still was in effect upon his release, and his latest petition was for a return from that ban. As the USA Today report noted, he can apply for reinstatement again later this year.
