DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Josh Gordon files application for reinstatement from league suspension

Josh Gordon files application for reinstatement from league suspension

Back to business: Suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has applied to the NFL office for reinstatement, confirmed a source with knowledge of the process who requested anonymity because of the league’s confidentiality rules.

Gordon’s fate will be known within 60 days of the receipt of his application, per rules of the reinstatement process.

Gordon was banished indefinitely on Feb. 3, 2015 for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse while in Stage Three of the NFL intervention program. It was Gordon’s third league suspension in three years.

Terms of the suspension allow Gordon to apply for reinstatement as early as 60 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of the letter informing him of his banishment.

Gordon has done that, said the source, and now the process has been set in motion for the holder of three Browns franchise receiving records to rejoin the team for the 2016 season.

Gordon’s contract tolled – or rolled into an additional year -- during his suspension. He is under the Browns’ control for 2016. If reinstated, Gordon can become a restricted free agent in 2017.

Long road back: Gordon received an indefinite suspension after he failed a test for alcohol following the 2014 season. He was being tested for alcohol – and other substances -- per terms of his reinstatement from a 10-game league suspension in 2014. He had a DWI arrest in Raleigh, NC, on July 4, 2014, and he agreed to alcohol testing in exchange for reducing a 12-game suspension to 10 games.

In a letter posted on The Cauldron, an online magazine, Gordon wrote that he consumed two beers and two drinks on a private flight to Las Vegas with several teammates on Jan. 2, 2015. Upon landing, he was notified to report to a testing location within four hours, and the test for alcohol came up positive.

“It was the first time I had consumed so much as a drop of alcohol since July 4, 2014, the day of the DWI,” Gordon wrote.

Gordon wrote that he thought the league-imposed alcohol ban expired at the end of the regular season. He wrote that he didn’t confirm it.

The process for reinstatement is elaborate.

Within 45 days of the receipt of Gordon’s application, he will be interviewed by NFL Medical Director Dr. J. Richard Spatafora and Medical Advisor Dr. Lawrence Brown.

The league policy states: “The Player will execute appropriate medical release forms that will enable the Commissioner’s staff and NFLPA Executive Director’s staff to review the Player’s substance abuse history, including but not limited to attendance at counseling sessions (individual, group and family); attendance at 12-step and other self-help group meetings; periodic progress reports; and all diagnostic findings and treatment recommendations.”

In an email response, Greg Aiello, NFL spokesman, wrote, “To be reinstated, a player must demonstrate sustained abstinence. In support of their applications, players generally put forward verifiable testing records and/or submit to periodic NFL testing during the banishment period.”

The medical director and medical advisor will make a recommendation. Commissioner Roger Goodell will render a decision within 60 days of the receipt of Gordon’s application.

Browns non-commital: Before he entered the NFL, Gordon had a history of marijuana use that resulted in suspensions at Baylor University and Utah. He was selected by then-Browns GM Tom Heckert in the 2012 NFL supplemental draft at the expense of the team’s second-round pick in the 2013 regular draft.

In 2013, Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards on 87 receptions in only 14 games. That year, he set or tied Browns records for receptions in a game (14), receiving yards in a game (261) and yards in a season (1,646).

Still, former Browns CEO Joe Banner has said he had a trade of Gordon arranged during that season. Reportedly, owner Jimmy Haslam vetoed it.

Substance abuse violations resulted in a two-game suspension of Gordon in 2013, 10 games in 2014 and 16 games in 2015. He also was suspended by the Browns for the final game in 2014 after he was late for a walk-through prior to the team’s departure to Baltimore for the final game of that season.

Gordon reportedly had partied the night before with quarterback Johnny Manziel, who missed a scheduled injury rehab appointment the next morning and was also disciplined for the Baltimore game.





But if the immensely talented, 6-4, 220-pound Gordon is reinstated, he would provide new coach Hue Jackson with a big-time play-maker at wide receiver that was conspicuously absent in the two years of the regime of former GM Ray Farmer and coach Mike Pettine.

At his introductory press conference last week, Jackson said, “What I’m anxious to do is evaluate him just like we’re going to evaluate every player on our roster and see if they are the right fit for the Cleveland Browns. That’s what we have to do with every player, whether that’s Josh Gordon to whoever the last guy is on the roster.”

In 35 NFL games, Gordon has 161 receptions for 2,754 yards (17.1-yard average) and 14 touchdowns. He is 24 years old.

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland//post/...ague-suspension

wasted talent...

Random alcohol testing is retarded to me. ONly thing that should be of concern to the league are DUI's.

Glad he's almost back. HOpefuly things work out as we all want them to.

OK,, I have a question.

If the league reinstates him, how long does he have to stay clean in order to drop off the bad guy list. Can he ever come off the list.

Good job Josh for staying out of the news. Keep your eye on the prize. You got this kid.

That's a great question....and I don't know the answer. What I do know is the league amended those rules a year or two ago. If I recall correctly, they are not as strict on pot as they are on performance enhancing drugs. I also believe there are now steps in place to remove someone from the bad guy list, where that wasn't the case previously.

Perhaps someone knows more details on this.

minimum of 24 months, but that is at the sole discretion of the medical director

(pages 18-19) https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/m...0of%20Abuse.pdf

if anyone follows Gordon on twitter, since the suspension he seems to be doing all the right things, trying to stay in shape and finding things to exert free time energy into other than drugs/alcohol. I really think he's in a good place. Best of luck to the guy for sure

I follow him, and I agree, he has done all the right things thus far since the suspension. I hope it continues.

If he stays clean and works his tail off, we will have a big-time weapon for whomever our QB is. He will command uber attention from opposing Ds.

Let's hope he doesn't screw up this time. The only news I wanna hear from Gordon is him running his mouth affer he destroys talib on a slant pass again.

I was ticked off at Gordon, still am for wasting his talents that way, but I was against cutting ties with him as a few folks wanted us to do. Didn't think it was a smart idea because he costs us nothing.

SO, Can Hue Jackson turn this kid around? Can the kid turn himself around? Yes, it appears he has, we'll see. I want him to be successful here.

We'll see.

I always felt the same way with that.

Why cut Josh? To send a message to the team or something? The truth is, this is an adult game, you are what your value is. That's why Josh gets to continue getting chances and other folks get cut in a heartbeat. Because other folks don't put up 1500 yards and a bunch of TDs.

The guy costs us nothing. We have two more years of his services before he can go play for anyone else. He is still 24 years old


So hopefully Josh cleans up his act, catches on with Coach Hue and ends up playing for us for a long time

Keep Swish away from Gordon!!!!

ha

Keep Billy Manziel away from him as well. Seriously.

Lol bruh. I wouldn't do that to our team haha.

There was talk of changing the policy, but as it is now, a stage 3 player is always in stage 3. One slip-up and he's out for another year.

Correction my buddy just told me that they did make a change last year and if he stays clean for 24 months, the next violation would only be a stage 1 violation.

One of my best friends is a big time Steelers fan, a former college tight end and an avid football fan.

Even he says the NFL screwed Josh Gordon. There is no excuse for everything leading up to what happened, but what the hell, an alcohol test as he gets off the plan from Vegas? Garbage!

Chuck JFF before Gordon "re- arrives." Hate to mess this up. Show us something stronger than what left.

stupid pothead should be fixed. anyone as dumb as he is shouldn't be allowed to breed.

is he even on our team? thought it had to do with the one game suspension that the browns hit him with? didn't he fight that?

Hope for the best expect the worst.Sooner or later somethings got to break our way.
BTW was Gordons contract situation ever resolved? I seem to remember the last game suspension possibly having an effect on his free agent eligibility.

I've seen some pretty ignorant comments before on this board (mostly coming from you) but this one could take the prize.

Just a stupid thing to say.

pblack was real big in the eugenics movement.

As far as I know, he smoked some weed and drank some booze.. Things you probably did at his age. He didn't kill anyone, he didn't beat the hell our of some girlfriend, he didn't rob a bank, etc etc.

Your comment is harsh and uncalled for to say the least.

On the one hand, I've kind of written off Gordon. Whatever he can give the team from here is gravy. Hue Jackson might think differently, though. I believe he's anxious to get a bigger, badder AJ Green dialed into his offense. I can also be convinced that Hue would have a better chance reaching these problematic players.

On the other hand, I also think Gordon got the shaft a little bit. Before Vers has a meltdown, I'm not absolving him of responsibility at all, and his past (especially the stuff leading up to the latest po and the alcohol test) doesn't earn him any breaks at all. I just think that busting him for alcohol the night after that miserable season wrapped up is bush league. I know that he agreed to be tested for alcohol, so at the end of the day the responsibility is his, but it just seems petty, and reeks of kicking a guy while he's down. I dunno, maybe time away from the situation and not hearing from him has softened my opinion a bit.

In the end, I'm excited at the possibility of him being back in the field in a Hue Jackson offense, under the direction of Hue to help keep him clean, but I'm not counting on him for anything.

j/c:

Amazing how people react to one guy who has failed multiple drug tests and been arrested for DUI and then have a completely different reaction to a guy who hasn't done any of those things.

At what point do we start focusing on football when we talk about players? If Johnny was a first team all pro he'd get as much slack as Gordon gets. However, Johnny sucks.

I don't think that has been determined yet. It's way too early to place that evaluation on his skill set.

Btw--------Gordon sucked when he returned from his last suspension.

Personally, I hope both guys get their stuff together and help the Browns win, but man, some of the posts written by guys who post about both JM and JG are amazing!

No it's not 'amazing' because fans are more lenient to players coming back who have proven they can perform well and help the team while on the field. Gordon proved he can do this. Manziel hasn't.

If Manziel was nominated to the Pro Bowl or rec'd an All-Pro nod, people would be singing a different tune about him.

What is 'amazing', however, is you having a hard time comprehending this over and over again.

This is like you comparing Gordon to Davone Bess back in 2013. Hilarious.

one year wonder that looked good under chud. like BE...

You got that right, but we diehards are desperate as all hell so ... welcome back Josh Gordon! And steer clear of Johnny Football!

knew that was coming.

I've been consistent. They're both turdballs.

yep. can't trust either one. just hope we draft a big WR and not fool ourselves counting on the pothead.

I really don't expect anything from either of them.

IMO, if you get anything from either of them, you're lucky.