Report: Patriots paying for Josh Gordon's rehab in Florida, not ruling out NFL return
Josh Gordon won’t be taking the field with the New England Patriots during the Super Bowl next week, or any team in the near future, but that doesn’t mean the organization is done with him.
The Patriots are quietly paying for Gordon’s drug rehab at an inpatient facility in Gainesville, Fla. and working with the NFL and NFLA Players Association to help the troubled receiver treat his addiction, according to NESN’s Doug Kyed. Not only are they helping Gordon, but they also believe a return to the team is still possible.
There are some other interesting details from the report, including that Gordon’s suspension stemmed from diluted samples and that he will indeed receive a ring if the Patriots prevail on Sunday. The facility apparently allows Gordon to leave campus, as he was spotted working out at a Gainesville gym last week.
Ran into Josh Gordon just now at the gym. Looks like he’s back training in Gainesville.
— Nick de la Torre (@NickdelaTorreGC) January 22, 2019
It’s probably not a huge surprise that New England is staying in touch with the Gordon despite the 27-year-old’s fifth drug suspension of his NFL career. He was by nearly all accounts well-liked in the Pats locker room and he remains one of the most talented receivers on earth.
In just 11 games with the Patriots this season, Gordon posted 720 receiving yards and three touchdowns to help the Patriots win the AFC East and earn a two-seed in the playoffs. News of his suspension landed on Dec. 20 when he announced he was “stepping away for a bit” from football while facing an indefinite suspension from the NFL.
Despite missing one of their top offensive weapons, the Patriots still captured yet another AFC title, something that caused Gordon to break his radio silence to congratulate the team.
That was Gordon’s first Instagram post since the suspension landed. His second came Monday afternoon, when he posted a Bible quote about placing his faith in God.
A post shared by Josh Gordon (@flash) on Jan 28, 2019 at 1:19pm PST
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