Updated at 4:12 p.m.
In a Thursday morning tweet, Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon announced he is stepping away from football to focus on his mental health.
“I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level,” Gordon wrote in the tweet. “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.”
— Flash Gordon (@JOSH_GORDONXII) December 20, 2018
While the announcement seemed to come out of the blue at the time, it preceded the NFL’s announcement later in the day that Gordon would be suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and the terms of his reinstatement to the NFL.
This isn’t unheard of from Gordon, who the Patriots acquired from the Cleveland Browns in an early season trade.
While still with Cleveland, Gordon missed the first start of training camp as a part of his “overall health and treatment plan.”
Gordon has had a troubled history with his health and substance abuse throughout his football career.
The Houston native started his college career at Baylor University, where he was suspended multiple times for drug violations. He later transferred to Utah, where he failed a drug test and ultimately never played, instead choosing to take part in the NFL’s supplemental draft.
Once in the NFL, Gordon showed flashes of brilliance but continued to struggle off the field.
He logged 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie and led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards in his second year in the League. Gordon was also named a Pro Bowler and a first-team All Pro in his sophomore campaign.
But that was the last highlight of his career to date. The NFL suspended Gordon for the entire 2014 season for a failed drug test, but ultimately reduced the suspension to 10 games. In 2015, Gordon picked up another season-long suspension for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Gordon had two more up and down seasons in Cleveland, in which he faced suspensions and issues getting back into the league before kickoff this year. Although he eventually came back to the Browns after his break before training camp, Cleveland traded him in September to New England for a 2019 fifth-round pick.
He’s been a big part of the Patriots offense since then, hauling in 40 catches for 720 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.
In a statement, the Patriots said they support Gordon.
“We support Josh Gordon in his continued efforts to focus on his health,” the statement read. “His attempt to do so is a private and personal matter, which we intend to respect.”
Statement from the New England Patriots on Josh Gordon: pic.twitter.com/tXmXrXVrJL
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 20, 2018
In his statement on Twitter, Gordon did not make clear how long he plans to stay out. He thanked Bill Belichick, Bob Kraft, members of the Patriots organization and his fans for their support.
