He’s only the ripe age of 24. Standing at 6’4, weighing 220 pounds and dripping with talent. Enough talent to potentially be ranked with Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, and Dez Bryant as one of the best wide receivers in the game.
For some odd reason, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon continues to shoot himself in the foot. His troubles go all the way back to his sophomore season at Baylor in the fall of 2010. Allegedly being found asleep in a Taco Bell drive-thru with marijuana in the same vehicle. Finding himself suspended by Baylor head coach Art Briles because of it. Turn the page to July 2011 and you’ll find Gordon suspended again for failing a drug test as he tested positive for marijuana. So he transferred to the University of Utah only to never play a down of football there and entering the NFL Supplemental Draft.
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Looking to stand tall on his own in a Browns uniform, Gordon had a spectacular rookie season with 805 yards and five scores in the 2012 season and followed that up with 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013 to go along with a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Yet, once again, Gordon tripped himself as he got arrested in 2014 with a DWI charge in North Carolina and found himself suspended for a number of games during the 2014 season. Only playing five games that season, Gordon posted 303 yards. However, it had already been established that the talent level was there.
Still once February 2015 rolled around, Gordon found himself suspended again only this time for a year after testing positive for alcohol use in January which was a violation of the procedures set by the NFL after Gordon entered a substance abuse program. Now we find ourselves to this present day. Where Gordon once again tested positive for marijuana last month which in all likelihood, at the very least, delay his reinstatement into the league for an extended period of time.
At what point does Gordon say enough is enough? At what point does Gordon realize he has a serious issue and make a stance against it? At what point do the Cleveland Browns wipe their hands clean of the talented but troubled receiver?
“For some odd reason, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon continues to shoot himself in the foot”
Gordon has a problem. That was established a long time ago. Whether or not an individual does recreational drugs such as marijuana is their own issue. Yet, at this point, Gordon doing these drugs is costing him millions of dollars. It’s also costing him a chance to showcase his natural talents, which is purely being wasted at this point. On one hand, you have the opportunity to do whatever you please as an individual and partake in the use of marijuana. On the other hand, you can play the sport of football, which is a privilege I might add, and make millions of dollars, garner a ton of respect, and establish a comfort level for you and your family.
We have a repeat offender in Gordon. The discussion of providing help and support is almost non-existent. It is difficult to provide help when the individual refuses to make a change. Ironically, his call for help was a long time ago. It’s complex to not think that his cry for help feel faint. It fell faint based on his repeated chances to redeem himself. Shame on Gordon for not seizing the opportunity but an equal amount of shame should be distributed to his support system, IF he has one.
As you place yourself in the shoes of the Browns front office, you’ll realize it may be time to let Gordon go. At this point, he seems to be a young football player without his head screwed on straight. Gordon has been told time after time after time that what he is doing is costly. Yet, he finds himself resorting back to the trouble zone. Eerily the same way Johnny Manziel found himself in troublesome predicaments. The team made the wise decision to cut ties with the quarterback and the same fate should occur for the team and Gordon.
As an individual who once supported Gordon and still does, there’s only so much support you can provide until you realize that maybe the individual doesn’t want it. You can’t help but as yourself: Does Josh Gordon even want it?