For the second time this year, and for the first time with the Patriots, receiver Josh Gordon has voluntarily stepped away from football, amid reports that it’s really not voluntary.
“I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level,” Gordon said in a post on social media. “I have recently felt like I could have a better grasp on things mentally. With that said, I will be stepping away from the football field for a bit to focus on my mental health. I would like to thank Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, as well as countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support. I want to thank my fans for their support as well as I continue down the path to getting back to 100%.”
It’s unclear what “for a bit” means, but the NFL’s in-house media arm is reporting that Gordon currently faces another indefinite suspension under the substance-abuse policy -- despite the high degree of confidentiality that applies to the substance-abuse policy, supposedly.
Gordon missed all of 2015 and 2016 due to violations of the substance-abuse policy. The Browns abruptly traded him to the Patriots after Week One, a move that came after Gordon voluntarily delayed reporting to training camp, again citing a desire to address issues relating to his mental health.