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New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon is stepping away from the NFL to focus on his mental health issues, thus no doubt ending his season and probably his time with the Patriots… possibly the NFL.
Gordon released a statement on Twitter that read, “I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level. 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.”
He added, “I would like to thank Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, and countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support.”
The Patriots released a statement minutes later reiterating their support for Gordon and his health and they added that his health “is a personal and private matter which we intend to respect.” In other words, they will NOT be commenting on this any further.
Tom Pelissaro announced shortly after that, that Gordon was told by the league that he was facing an additional suspension for failing a drug test and that he just acted before the league’s ruling was announced. Gordon played 57 of 63 offensive snaps on Sunday against the Steelers.
In 11 games with the Patriots, Gordon totaled 40 receptions for 720 yards and three touchdowns.
What fans should keep in mind, the Patriots issues at wide receiver for the remainder of the season take a far back seat to a man’s long-term health. We’ll address later on how the team can work around his absence for the rest of the season. But for now, the focus is on the man, not the player.
Gordon has long suffered
The news broke as we were recording our weekly podcast and once that is released, we will have more on how the Patriots can adjust their offense.
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
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