The Cleveland Browns and their fans have been dealing with the Josh Gordon saga since 2012. Here is a retrospective of his career, so far.
If you want to send Cleveland Browns fans – and #BrownsTwitter – into a heated frenzy, just mention the name Josh Gordon.
Should the Browns embrace the troubled but talented Gordon if he is reinstated by the NFL? Or is it time to finally move on from a player that has only appeared in five of the team’s last 48 regular season games?
Can Gordon still be the same player that led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards in 2013 – a season that included a four-game stretch where he amassed 774 yards and five touchdowns?
If it seems like Josh questions have been hovering over the franchise forever, you are not far off. Since joining the Browns in 2012, four different head coaches and just as many front office regimes have struggled with their own version of a Gordian Knot.
Or will he be the player that was disengaged in 2014, when he returned from another suspension for the season’s final five games?
If it seems like these questions have been hovering over the franchise forever, you are not far off. Since joining the Browns in 2012, four different head coaches and just as many front office regimes have struggled with their own version of a Gordian Knot.
The issue is now back in the forefront as recent reports have said that Gordon and his representatives expect the NFL to rule on his latest reinstatement bid sometime near, or shortly after, the 2017 NFL Draft.
What happens after that is the great unknown, but the Browns have been consistent in their messaging when it comes to Gordon. Just what that message is depends on who you talk with, as Browns fans hear what they want to hear when it comes to Gordon.
Since this is an ongoing issue, the likes of which the Browns and their fanbase have never really seen before, we’ve put together this helpful guide of everything we’ve published over the years related to Gordon and his ongoing suspension woes.
Just remember, Browns fans: “this time it is going to be different.”
The Browns used a second-round pick on Josh Gordon in the summer of 2012, selecting him in the annual NFL Supplemental Draft.
Gordon had a troubled, if we are being kind, collegiate career, first at Baylor and then at Utah, where he never played a down before being dismissed from the team. All together, he reportedly failed three drug tests while in school.
Opinions were all over the board at the time about Gordon’s NFL future, and one AFC personnel executive’s comments to Albert Breer at NFL.com are extremely telling in hindsight:
"“It’s very hard to find a comparable player. The off-field issues, you try and draw on those players like that who have turned into huge successes, and having those examples tends to give executives some peace of mind. I struggled to come up with a high volume of players that have had his amount of issues and done a 180. We’ll see. The rest of it is up to the kid.”"
Gordon had a solid rookie year, making 13 starts and finishing with 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns. But it was the next season that he would make his mark on the NFL.
Following a two-game suspension to open the year, Gordon played in Cleveland’s final 14 games, finishing with 87 receptions for a league-leading 1,646 yards and scored nine touchdowns.
It was to be the last of the good times for Gordon and the Browns.
2012:
Browns will attend Josh Gordon’s Pro Day (July 9): Josh Gordon’s name has been the subject of many conversations in the past few days, despite missing the entire 2011 season. The former Baylor and Utah wide receiver has declared for Thursday’s supplemental draft, making him a coveted prospect for a number of teams.
Browns select Josh Gordon in Supplemental Draft (July 12): When former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon only visited with the Cleveland Browns, it was suspected that the team would try to select him in Thursday’s supplemental draft. And, much to the joy of fans, the team did just that, selecting Gordon in the second round. The Browns’ corresponding second-round pick will now be surrendered in the 2013 draft.
Browns sign Josh Gordon to four-year deal (July 16): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, selected in the second round of last week’s supplemental draft, has already signed his first deal, a four-year contract worth $5.3 million with $3.8 million guaranteed.
Josh Gordon comes clean about third failed drug test (July 25): Remember when Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon refuted a claim that he had failed a third drug test while at Utah? As it turns out, there was a third failed drug test and, now that he’s signed by the Browns, he has come clean about it to The Plain Dealer.
A Browns WR has finally broken the 100-yard mark (Dec. 4): For a while, it seemed like it might never happen, not with the way Brandon Weeden distributed the ball (or simply struggled). Nevertheless, the Cleveland Browns have finally exploded through another milestone during what happens to be a continuously surprising season. They have conquered the elusive 100-yard receiving game. Thanks to Josh Gordon’s six-catch, 116-yard performance, the Browns are starting to resemble a real NFL offense.
2013:
Are you concerned about Josh Gordon? (June 6): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has had his fair share of past troubles, which is how the team was able to draft him in the 2012 supplemental draft in the first place. But during his first season in Cleveland, Gordon was a model teammate and citizen, establishing himself as one of the up-and-coming receiving talents in the NFL.
Josh Gordon suspended two games (June 8): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon made it through his rookie season without getting in any trouble, and even established himself as the team’s go-to receiving threat. His second NFL season is not off to such a great start. Just days after being criticized for a fairly boneheaded tweet, Gordon has been suspended two games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Josh Gordon is not making many friends in Cleveland (June 21): Despite his talent and upside, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon isn’t make a lot of friends these days. First, it started with his two-game suspension to start the 2013 season, which stemmed from him testing positive for codeine after claiming it came from cough syrup back in February. Now, it’s his open Twitter celebration of the Miami Heat’s NBA championship that is testing the patience of Browns fans.
Josh Gordon’s impact on the Browns offense (Aug. 17): Josh Gordon is likely the most controversial player on the Browns as he has the talent to be one of the team’s best players but is still learning how to be a professional football player and is on a short leash, unless he plans to call the organization and his teammates’ bluff.
Unified message from Berea on Josh Gordon (Aug. 24): In the past two days, D’Qwell Jackson and Joe Banner have come out and publicly talked about how short Josh Gordon’s leash is in regards to not only the Browns but Jackson spoke on a larger level with the NFL as a whole. The timing of these statements could be a coincidence but it certainly comes off like a strategy from the angle of the organization to vocalize the need for Gordon to appreciate the opportunity he has and grow up both from the front office as well as the locker room.
Josh Gordon is good, average QB play a huge improvement (Sept. 22): The game against the Minnesota Vikings worked to prove two things with the Browns offense: Josh Gordon is an impact player defenses are forced to counter and that even average quarterback play made a huge difference.
Josh Gordon a man without a country (Sept. 22): Josh Gordon, in many ways, seems to be a man without a country right now. And he played that way on Sunday as he was the best player on the field in the Browns-Vikings game. There was a ton of joy for Gordon as he caught 10 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown along with 22 yards rushing, but one cannot but think he is playing with a great of conflict within himself, maybe anger at the people who criticized him and never believed in him including some in the Browns front office, and then determination to prove to his teammates he is reliable and will be there for them.
Determining the value of Josh Gordon (Sept. 23): The Browns front office is being put in a position where they have to determine what Josh Gordon is worth. Joe Banner is a numbers guy and seems to have a good understanding of the math when it comes to the NFL as well as weighing risk.
Josh Gordon to the Falcons? (Oct. 8): Jay Glazer of Fox and “sources” has reported that Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is likely done for the year with a foot injury. Naturally, with people speculating that the Browns are trying to trade Josh Gordon, even though it is teams calling to ask about Gordon, there is a natural connection to the Browns and Atlanta. So is there any chance the Falcons would trade for Gordon? No. Not at all; it would go against everything the Falcons have built.
Regarding Josh Gordon: Not if, but when (Oct. 24): The NFL trade deadline is fast approaching, and the chatter in Cleveland Browns-land revolves around two topics: Brandon Weeden and trading Josh Gordon. With Brandon Weeden finally on the bench, the Browns should focus on cutting ties with Josh Gordon.
Browns losses do not mar Josh Gordon’s performances (Dec. 1): The Cleveland Browns loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a season where they are out of the playoff hunt does not diminish the incredible achievement by wide receiver Josh Gordon. A week after setting the franchise record for receiving yards in a game with 237 on 14 catches with a touchdown, the second year receiver had 10 catches for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not only did he break the record he set, but he is the first receiver in NFL history to have back to back 200 yard games. And in accomplishing that feat, Gordon put the rest of the NFL on notice.
Josh Gordon: A glimpse of the Browns future (Dec. 4): What a turn this team has taken in the last three weeks. Much of the hope and excitement that fans had has slipped away as we experienced back-to-back-to-back losses to the Bengals, Steelers and Jaguars, not to mention the concussions of Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden. But despite the depressing state of the team, there has been a bright spot: Wide Receiver Josh Gordon.
Gordon followed up his stellar 2013 season by failing a drug test and being suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
That suspension would eventually be reduced to 10 games and Gordon made his return in Atlanta as the Browns defeated the Falcons to move to 7-4 on the season.
It would be the final game the Browns would win that year.
An disengaged Gordon, who never bothered to learn the playbook, finished the year with just 24 receptions for 303 yards and no touchdowns. He also picked up another suspension – this time issued by the Browns for the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.
Little did anyone know it at the time, but Dec. 21 against the Carolina Panthers, when he had four receptions for 45 yards, would be the last time Gordon appeared in a regular season game to date.
Josh Gordon could be facing season-long suspension (May 9): According to a report from Outside the Lines of ESPN, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon could be facing a year long suspension for a positive drug test for marijuana.
Does Josh Gordon need the Josh Hamilton treatment? (May 19): Imagine a young athlete with incredible talent, freakish physical ability, and Hall of Fame potential. Now imagine the same athlete needing to overcome drug and alcohol abuse in order to reach these lofty expectations. Although this description sounds a lot like Josh Gordon, it can also be attributed to Josh Hamilton, outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels.
How does cutting Josh Gordon make the Browns better? (May 31): In the 24 hours since the news was announced that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was cited for a speeding ticket and one of his three passengers (identity still unknown) admitted to possessing marijuana, the reaction has been loud and angry. Most critics are loudly demanding for the Browns simply cut Gordon and my question is simple: How are the Browns a better football team if they cut Josh Gordon right now?
Josh Gordon NFL.com’s 16th-ranked player (July 3): Cleveland Browns faithful experienced an amazing season by Josh Gordon last year. Gordon exploded on to the national stage even though he was being thrown passes by 3 different quarterbacks, 2 of whom most likely won’t throw passes at all this upcoming season. Unfortunately the Browns, their fans and Browns opponents are also waiting for word on his reported suspension. While we are waiting for that possible bad news comes his ranking on NFL.com’s Top 100 players in the league.
Josh Gordon checked into rehab after DUI (July 24): While we understand that Josh Gordon will have his appeal hearing next Friday, August 1st with the NFL, it seems he may have made steps to attempt to help himself. Mike Garafolo, who works for Fox Sports 1, reported that Gordon checked himself into rehab following his DUI.
Josh Gordon ranked as fifth-best wide receiver (July 30): Given that all, or most, of the news regarding Cleveland Browns star wide receiver Josh Gordon has been off the field it is a pleasure to talk about him on the field. SI.com has come out with their Top 10 Wide Receiver list of which Gordon is ranked at No. 5.
Josh Gordon: Personal insight into drug test procedures (July 30): Most of the time here on DPD you can expect quality journalistic information based on reports, analysis and understanding. There are some situations though that you will get personal views or stories coming from my professional background. The quick and easy is that I am a professional counselor, licensed in the State of Ohio with extensive history working with the legal system, alcohol and drug clients, marriage, family, children & adolescents and more. Today I take you behind the scenes of drug testing procedures as they have come to the forefront of the Josh Gordon suspension situation.
Browns preparing for an 8-game Josh Gordon suspension (Aug. 6): The Josh Gordon saga is on going, and at this point we, like many of you, think it is ridiculous. The league and Gordon’s team had the information regarding the suspension at the beginning of May. Now 3 months later the appeal hearing is heard and a week to THREE weeks from now we should hear a ruling. Timely.
Josh Gordon suspension decision made (Aug. 26): The Josh Gordon suspension appeal took another wild turn today with Adam Schefter reporting on SportsCenter that the decision has been made. Yet while the decision has been made no announcement has come.
Josh Gordon suspended indefinitely (Aug. 27): The Josh Gordon saga has ended and not in the way the Cleveland Browns or their fans were hoping for. Instead of Gordon getting off with a reduced sentence, or no suspension at all, he is now suspended indefinitely from the NFL. It is an important to note that based on the rules of the Drug Policy that Gordon wouldn’t just be for just a season. Instead Gordon is suspended for at least 365 days before he is able to apply to return to the NFL. During that time he is not eligible to be with the team, working with the team or communicate with the team. He is not guaranteed to be readmitted into the league upon the completion of the 365 days. Roger Goodell will have the ability to keep him suspended indefinitely.
A fan’s letter to Josh Gordon (Aug. 28): The next 3 pages are all letters from me, Jared Mueller, the fan. Not the counselor, not the writer, not the editor and not the sane adult. Just a fan, a fanatic.
Josh Gordon to explore the CFL? (Aug. 28): The Josh Gordon saga seems like it will go on for days. We will have a personal response to Gordon, the league and the Browns later today. Yet as we prepared those statements this tweet came across Twitter.
Josh Gordon gets a new job (Sept. 4): Josh Gordon continues to be an interesting figure in Cleveland sports. He went from being hated when the news came out in May that he would be suspended to a sympathetic figure by the time he was actually suspended. We covered the possible new NFL Drug Policy updates yesterday and the connection to Gordon (New Window). Now comes a report that Gordon has a new job lined up.
Impact if Josh Gordon plays this year (Sept. 6): The narrative that Josh Gordon could end of playing this year has gotten stronger as the weekend begins. Many believe that the NFL and NFLPA will come to some agreement soon, even possibly today, on their new HGH, performance enhancement and recreational drug use policy. As a part of that policy speculation is that Wes Welker, Josh Gordon and others will be allowed to play earlier than currently set to. It will not impact tomorrow’s games but could be in place for Week 2. So what impact would Gordon have if he is allowed to play this season?
Josh Gordon’s return inevitable? (Sept. 9): It is possible that sometime today, heck sometime this hour, that news will come out that the NFL and NFLPA have a new drug agreement and that Josh Gordon will be reinstated. The Cleveland Browns would benefit greatly from that as the momentum from the second half of the Steelers game is met with Gordon’s return.
Should Josh Gordon be allowed to play? (Sept. 9): The NFLPA and the NFL are beginning to get closer on a new deal that will revamp the substance abuse policy and will vote on it tomorrow. The new policy will change multiple areas of the policy including the amount of HGH levels in a sample. This will make the cases of a few players like Josh Gordon and Wes Welker even more controversial. With the new standards, both players would not have been suspended for Week 1, and Josh Gordon would have his entire suspension lifted. Will it happen?
Josh Gordon will reportedly be reinstated (Sept. 10): Whether Josh Gordon will play for the Browns is still up in the air. Albert Breer has constantly attempted to protect fans from getting too excited about Gordon being reinstated. He has focused on what he is hearing related to the timeframe of players who will be reinstated. Since Gordon’s test was before the start of this league year it is possible he will not. Yet Chris Mortenson has a different thought.
Josh Gordon to be allowed back into facilities (Sept. 14): The NFL, the Cleveland Browns and around 20 players, including Josh Gordon, are awaiting final decision regarding the new drug policy. A few things still seem out of whack for Gordon even as all reports are that he will be suspended 10 games.
Josh Gordon pleads guilty to DWI (Sept. 16): On a day when the new NFL Drug Policy is likely to be announced, Josh Gordon has reportedly pled guilty to DWI.
Josh Gordon suspended for 10 games (Sept. 19): Josh Gordon officially had his suspension reduced to 10 games today. Connected with that reduced sentence is that Gordon gets to return to workout with the Cleveland Browns and can attend meetings. He is not able to practice with the team but that change in the policy is best for the player indeed.
Josh Gordon officially suspended 10 games (Sept 16): According to Jason La Canfora the NFLPA has begun to notify players of the changes to their suspensions from the new drug policy. One of those is Josh Gordon who is officially out for 10 games.
Josh Gordon could struggle upon his return (Oct. 10): The Cleveland Browns have been far more successful on offense than anyone expected following the suspension of Josh Gordon. Instead of struggling to throw the ball at all, Brian Hoyer has been efficient and effective in the passing game. The key has obviously been the Browns rushing attack, one that has just been downright amazing.
Josh Gordon can dominate upon his return (Oct. 25): The Cleveland Browns face off with the Oakland Raiders tomorrow in a mid-afternoon affair. The Browns are still at .500 and have two winnable games ahead of them but many fans are looking forward to Week 12 and Josh Gordon‘s return.
Josh Gordon suspended Sunday – Digging Deeper (Dec. 27): The Cleveland Browns have suspended Josh Gordon for tomorrow’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Gordon was reportedly suspended due to missing the team’s walk thru. Gordon’s suspension has little impact on the Browns this season but has almost unending repercussions for this off-season and the one that follows.
The 2015 season opened with Josh Gordon joining him teammates on a flight to Las Vegas.
It ended the same was as 2014, with Gordon suspended, this time by the NFL for at least one year.
Josh Gordon joins teammates on flight to Las Vegas (Jan. 3): Josh Gordon may have been suspended by the Cleveland Browns but it doesn’t seem to have impacted the relationship he has with his teammates. Gordon joined a number of teammates including Joe Haden, Travis Benjamin and Taylor Gabriel for a flight according to this Instagram photo on Benjamin’s account.
Cleveland Browns
Josh Gordon fails drug test, out for a year (Jan. 25): Many Cleveland Browns fans have wondered if the team would cut ties with Josh Gordon this summer. Either via trade or just cutting him, most believed they had seen the last of Josh Gordon. According to Adam Schefter’s breaking news Gordon likely just put the final nail in his own coffin.
Josh Gordon does not love football enough (Jan. 27): Josh Gordon is still the Cleveland Browns problem going into the off-season. They could remedy that by cutting him but have no real incentive to do so. Some might say it would be a distraction to the team if he was still on the roster, while still others believe they need to send Gordon a message.
Josh Gordon unlikely to return to Browns (Feb. 3): Josh Gordon was officially suspended for a year by the NFL today for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse. In the release on their official site the Cleveland Browns noted as much and GM Ray Farmer‘s comments were strong.
Josh Gordon plans to appeal Week 17 suspension (Feb. 4): Josh Gordon was suspended by the Cleveland Browns for Week 17 of last season after missing a practice. Shortly after the season, and before the Super Bowl, he was suspended for all of next year. As it, it doesn’t seem like he plans to appeal the full season suspension but according to a Pro Football Talk report he will appeal his Week 17 suspension.
Josh Gordon almost traded for Nick Foles in 2013 (Feb. 16): The Cleveland Browns will be without Josh Gordon all of next year, after being without Josh Gordon for 10 games of last season and being without Josh Gordon for two games the season prior. All of this could have been avoided had Jimmy Haslam allowed Joe Banner to trade Gordon to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2nd round pick and more. That much we knew. Today a new trade that almost happened was brought to public: Josh Gordon for Nick Foles in 2013.
Why it is time to give up on Josh Gordon (July 21): Sometimes certain people or specific events just stick with us and make us never want to relive what happen. Maybe it’s a restaurant you and your ex went to, and there is nothing wrong with the food or anything, but it just brings up that bitter thought of your ex. Someone who either broke your heart or drove you crazy. Josh Gordon reminds me of that girl that broke your heart.
Finally, after a lost season in 2015, Josh Gordon was ready to go in 2016 under first-year head coach Hue Jackson.
Conditionally reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, all Gordon had to do was sit out one final four-game suspension and then he could resume his career.
But just days before his potential reinstatement, Gordon voluntarily entered a rehab facility and remained on the league’s suspended list.
Josh Gordon applies for reinstatement to the NFL (Jan. 20): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has applied for reinstatement to the NFL, according to ESPN Cleveland. Citing an anonymous source, the report said that Gordon will learn if he can rejoin the Browns within 60 days of filing his application with the league office.
Josh Gordon must prove he has overcome his past (Jan. 20): Josh Gordon’s impending return to the NFL and the Cleveland Browns became one step closer to reality, as news broke this morning of Gordon applying for reinstatement from his one year suspension for a banned substance. As Gordon prepares for his return to the field the question of can you trust the star wide receiver who is a multiple offender of the substance abuse policy moving forward? Can you rely on him to stay clean and pick up where he left off setting team receiving records?
Josh Gordon a key to success in 2016 (Feb. 1): The Cleveland Browns are in an interesting situation. The one player who may make the biggest impact on the team was on the roster in 2015, but was not able to play in any games due to a season-long suspension. That player, Josh Gordon, is now up for reinstatement for the 2016 season.
Josh Gordon needs to convince the NFL that he has changed (Feb. 6): The Cleveland Browns are in the process of rebuilding their offense under head coach Hue Jackson where, in addition to the quarterback position, the team will be looking to add firepower at wide receiver. That can come through free agency, with Marvin Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals a possible target, through the draft, and by resigning Travis Benjamin before he hits free agency. Could it also include the return of wide receiver Josh Gordon?
Is Josh Gordon the No. 1 WR? (Feb. 15): As the days pass and more negative news comes out about Johnny Manziel, Josh Gordon has remained out of the news. He has kept quiet and has done nothing to hurt his chances of returning to the Cleveland Browns for the 2016 season. It appears as if Gordon will indeed be reinstated, unless Roger Goodell pulls the ultimate villain move to keep the Browns in the basement of the NFL.
Sashi Brown: Josh Gordon will be welcomed back (Feb. 25): Cleveland Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown met with the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday and delivered some news that should get Browns fans excited. The team is prepared to welcome back wide receiver Josh Gordon if he is reinstated by the NFL.
Is Josh Gordon hanging out with Johnny Manziel a big deal? (March 6): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was photographed hanging out with Johnny Manziel at a UFC fight. Should that be cause for concern for the Browns?
Josh Gordon still in limbo (March 15): There has been a lot of noise surrounding the Cleveland Browns during the past week, but one player’s name has not been brought up often. Josh Gordon remains suspended by the NFL and is awaiting his chance at reinstatement.
Josh Gordon continues to make poor decisions (April 11): The Cleveland Browns and Josh Gordon are in a holding pattern waiting on word from the NFL about whether or not the thrice-suspended wide receiver will be reinstated. They may be waiting a while longer, however, following a report from ESPN that Gordon has taken up residence in Los Angeles with Johnny Manziel.
NFL denies Josh Gordon’s bid for reinstatement (April 12): The NFL provided some clarity to the ongoing murky situation surrounding Josh Gordon by reportedly denying his appeal to be reinstated from his latest suspension. Gordon can reportedly try again for reinstatement any time after Aug. 1 but, once again for those still in denial, there are no guarantees that the NFL will allow him back into the league.
Jim Brown says Josh Gordon is motivated to return (June 2): The Cleveland Browns will bring the off-season to an official close next week during the team’s veteran minicamp. The Browns will have one less player to worry about this month, of course, as wide receiver Josh Gordon remains on the league’s suspension list for violating the substance abuse policy. Gordon was eligible to be reinstated in April, but the league denied his bid after he reportedly failed a drug test for marijuana in March. He can try again for reinstatement on Aug. 1.
Josh Gordon has no place on the Browns (June 7): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon remains suspended by the NFL and may never play another game in a Browns uniform.
Josh Gordon conditionally reinstated, suspended 4 games (July 25): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been officially reinstated by the NFL after missing all of the 2015 NFL season for his latest run-in with the league’s substance abuse policy. But before you start saving up for playoff tickets, Browns fans, there are some conditions to Gordon’s return to the team.
Josh Gordon’s reinstatement is bittersweet (July 26): To Cleveland Browns fans’ delight, Josh Gordon was reinstated by Roger Goodell on Monday. Gordon returns to the Browns after missing 27 of the last 32 games due to suspension and when he last played two seasons ago, he struggled to shake the rust off and return to form. Yet, the prospect of a Baylor super team consisting of Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman and Robert Griffin III is something fans can get excited about.
Josh Gordon given final chance by NFL (July 26): The main news surrounding the Cleveland Browns entering this week had to do with training camp starting this Friday. The rookies, quarterbacks and injured veterans reported to camp Monday, but the focus was still largely on Friday. That was until Josh Gordon was reinstated by Roger Goodell for the 2016 season.
Josh Gordon and expectations (July 27): Author Sylvia Plath wrote that “If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed.” That is a good bit of advice for the Cleveland Browns and their fans regarding the return of wide receiver Josh Gordon.
Can Josh Gordon avoid being a one-year wonder? (July 29): The Cleveland Browns have delivered more than their share of disappointment to fans since returning to the NFL in 1999. That is why it is not surprising to see three Browns players on For the Win‘s list of the 10 biggest one-year wonders in the NFL history. The start of training camp offers quarterback Robert Griffin III, currently sitting at No. 4, a chance to remove his name from the list. It also may represent the final chance for wide receiver Josh Gordon to ensure that he will not take up permanent residence at the top of any future one-year wonder lists.
Browns should listen if teams call about Josh Gordon (July 29):
Only the most obtuse of fans would fail to acknowledge that the Cleveland Browns are in full-on rebuilding mode. That is why executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown should at least answer the phone this summer if another team calls about wide receiver Josh Gordon.
Josh Gordon should not be traded in 2016 (July 31): Josh Gordon has not yet taken part in a practice as a member of the Cleveland Browns since being reinstated, but talks of trading him seem to be coming out every day. Some takes are from those who simply don’t trust him, while others see him as a valuable asset to trade in order acquire more draft picks as part of the ongoing rebuild. But trading Gordon before he even gets a chance to get back on the field, as he is suspended for the first four games of the regular season, would not be a smart move.
More from Dawg Pound Daily
- 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Browns make surprise move for left tackle
- Browns: David Bell was excellent against man coverage as a rookie
- Former Browns wideout Josh Gordon shines in XFL debut
- Cleveland Browns: 3 Running backs who can replace Kareem Hunt
- Cleveland Browns lose QB Coach Drew Petzing
Who benefits the most from Josh Gordon’s absence? (Aug. 2): The Cleveland Browns are going to have a roster decision to make after Josh Gordon returns from suspension. So who can benefit the most in his absence?
Browns activate Josh Gordon; now what? (Aug. 15): In a move that Cleveland Browns fans have been waiting almost two years for, the team activated wide receiver Josh Gordon from the non-football injury list and Gordon practiced with the team for the first time since December of 2014.
Trading Josh Gordon would be a mistake (Aug. 23): The Cleveland Browns gave Josh Gordon a chance when other teams may have decided to cut him loose.That is why some fans may have been surprised this morning when seeing news reported by Adam Schefter on Facebook, claiming multiple teams are reaching out to the Browns about Gordon. While it may have come as a surprise, Schefter made it clear the Browns are not close to considering any offers.
Can Josh Gordon clear one last hurdle? (Aug. 31): Thursday night’s preseason game against the Chicago Bears will provide the Cleveland Browns with one last chance to evaluate the roster prior to the start of the regular season. It will also be the last time that anyone sees wide receiver Josh Gordon on the field until the Browns host the New England Patriots on Oct. 9.
The road ahead for Josh Gordon (Sept. 3): Josh Gordon made it clear during the preseason that he has not lost any talent since his last NFL appearance in 2014. Gordon did not appear until the third preseason game, when the Cleveland Browns took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he quickly reminded fans why he is considered one of the top talents in the game. He finished with two catches for 87 yards, including a great touchdown grab in his first NFL game of any kind since 2014.
Josh Gordon’s latest setback bigger than football (Sept. 29): The Cleveland Browns drafted four wide receivers in the 2016 NFL Draft with the mindset that while Josh Gordon could come back, it was never a guarantee. That belief was validated Thursday when Gordon announced he would be entering a rehab facility, just a few days before he was set to be reinstated for a Week 5 return.
Cleveland Browns moving on from Josh Gordon (Sept. 30): It took less than 24 hours, but the Cleveland Browns are reportedly ready to close the book on troubled but talented wide receiver Josh Gordon. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, citing an unnamed source, the Browns plan to “part ways” with Gordon after Thursday’s announcement that Gordon was entering an in-patient rehab facility.
Josh Gordon and a failed Week 5 comeback (Oct. 7): While Tom Brady makes his triumphant return to the NFL this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, the home team will be without a player also expected to return.Wide receiver Josh Gordon was finally set to make his return to the Browns, playing in his first regular season game since 2014. But entry into a rehab facility ended all hopes of him making a comeback.
Josh Gordon out of rehab. So what comes next? (Oct. 30): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, who still remains on the NFL’s suspended list, has reportedly been released from a rehab facility.ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Gordon has completed his 30-day stay in a New Hampshire facility, one that Schefter writes was “the most intensive treatment that (Gordon) has gone through, and Gordon is doing a lot better.” The question now is what comes next for Gordon and the Browns?
So here we are, almost two-and-half years after Gordon last appeared in a regular-season game and we’re still wondering if he will ever see the field again.
The Browns have given signals that they are ready to move on if the day comes that Gordon is reinstated, but even those are mixed messages, according to some.
Gordon has once again applied for reinstatement and hopes to hear something later this month or early in May, but after so many false starts, it is hard to know what to expect any more.
The only certainty is that we have not written our last word on Gordon just yet.
Should the Browns give Josh Gordon one last chance? (Jan. 6): The Cleveland Browns have been let down by Josh Gordon more than once, but should the franchise give the talented receiver one final chance?
Time to accept that Josh Gordon is not coming back (Feb. 14): It is unknown who first said “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” but it is a sentiment that many Cleveland Browns can relate to when it comes to wide receiver Josh Gordon. It doesn’t take much for Gordon to get fans swooning over the thought of him once again wearing the Orange and Brown, even a simple Tweet can do it. The problem, of course, is that Tweeting is just all that Gordon can currently do as he remains on the NFL’s suspended list after repeatedly running afoul of the league’s substance abuse policies.
Josh Gordon will reportedly apply for reinstatement (March 1): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon – who has missed the past two seasons due to suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policies – will reportedly apply for reinstatement today.
Browns will look to trade or release Josh Gordon (March 25): Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is reportedly under the impression that the NFL will make a ruling on his bid to be reinstated from his latest suspension sometime near or after the 2017 NFL Draft. Gordon, who has not played in a regular-season game since late in 2014, is working out in Florida while waiting for the NFL to act on his petition to return to the league, according to ESPN.
Next: Browns QB position still a glaring hole
Sashi Brown taking right approach with Josh Gordon (March 30): After losing their best wide receiver in Terrelle Pryor, the Cleveland Browns could sure use the talents of Josh Gordon in 2017. Hoping he will not only be reinstated, but will actually play in a game in 2017 is about as much wishful thinking as one can handle, but it is still a possibility.
Rumor: NFL denies Josh Gordon’s bid for reinstatement (May 11): The dream may not be entirely over just yet, but it sounds like it will be delayed yet again as the NFL has reportedly denied the reinstatement bid of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon.
Josh Gordon is the most disappointing of all the busts (May 11)
Is Josh Gordon the most disappointing player in recent Cleveland Browns history? It is a question that should at least be taken into consideration. Understandably there are different angles to this debate but it all depends on how you frame the question.
Josh Gordon’s Twitter sets fans’ hearts aflutter (Aug. 8)
The Cleveland Browns have moved on from suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon, but parts of Browns Twitter can’t let it go.
Roger Goodell slows down talk of Josh Gordon’s imminent return (Aug. 17)
The Cleveland Browns hosted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday and his comments about Josh Gordon set off another flurry of false hope from fans.
Rumor: Josh Gordon went to rehab, still eyeing return to NFL (Aug. 26)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon remains on the league’s suspension list, but he reportedly went to rehab over the summer in a bid to change that.