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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE — Seahawks wide receiver Josh Gordon has experienced another setback in his recovery from substance abuse, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The news comes as Gordon was preparing to return to the field for the first time since he was indefinitely suspended by the NFL last December, a comeback that is now in jeopardy.
Gordon, 29, is grappling with the reality that he might never be allowed to play again, the source told Fowler, as indications throughout the process of his reinstatement from his latest suspension were that this was likely his final strike.
Gordon and the Seahawks were notified Tuesday that the NFL determined the receiver had not satisfied the terms of his conditional reinstatement, another source told ESPN. That makes him ineligible to practice or play in games for the time being.
Gordon was set to begin practicing Wednesday and had a chance to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, coach Pete Carroll said Monday. This was the first week in which Gordon was eligible to practice and play in a game provided he complied with the conditions of his Dec. 3 reinstatement.
Gordon has been allowed to take part in meetings, individual workouts and strength and conditioning since then. He is still allowed to do so even with Tuesday’s developments, a source said.
The Seattle Times first reported that Gordon’s return was on hold because he had not satisfied the terms of his conditional reinstatement. The NFL Network first reported that it was over a substance abuse setback.
The NFL’s transaction wire notes that Gordon was placed back on the commissioner’s exempt list Tuesday, one day after he was taken off it.
Gordon was allowed back at Seahawks headquarters on Dec. 9 after completing his COVID-19 testing. He tweeted that day that he was “excited as hell to be back amongst the family like this.”
With the Seahawks under the impression that Gordon was eligible to practice and play this week, Carroll said Monday that he was interested in seeing how Gordon would fare in his first practices in a year.
“We’ve got to get him on the practice field and see what he looks like and all,” Carroll said. “He’s been working out really hard. I’ve been able to watch his workouts on video a couple times here to see that he’s in really good shape. He’s really big and strong, too. So we’re excited to see how he does. We are planning the week like he has a chance to contribute, so we’ll see. We’ll hold out a good hope and thought and see where it fits.”
Gordon caught seven passes for 139 yards in five games with the Seahawks last season. He was set to compete with David Moore and Freddie Swain for playing time in their receiver corps behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The Seahawks waived Penny Hart on Monday to make room for Gordon on their active roster. Hart cleared waivers and could return to his spot as Seattle’s fifth receiver.
Gordon was suspended indefinitely last December for violations of the league’s policies on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse. It was Gordon’s sixth suspension since the 2013 season and his fifth for some form of substance abuse, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Gordon’s attorney, Adam Kenner, confirmed to ESPN in June that Gordon’s latest suspension was the result of a setback he experienced after the death of his brother last fall. Gordon posted on social media on Nov. 11, 2019, the day he made his Seahawks debut, about losing his older brother.
