Seahawks Get Grim Update from NFL on Josh Gordon

Getty Josh Gordon has been released by the Chiefs.

After briefly being reinstated by the NFL, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Josh Gordon is once again suspended indefinitely by the league putting his football future in doubt. The NFL revealed the decision during a recent daily transaction report, and it will be interesting to see how the Seahawks handle Gordon’s future moving forward.

“Seahawks WR Josh Gordon’s conditional reinstatement has been rescinded and he is now suspended again indefinitely, per source,” Pelissero noted on Twitter.

The Seahawks were expecting to get Gordon back against the Rams in Week 16 as the NFL had conditionally reinstated the receiver. Days before game day, the Seahawks were informed that Gordon had failed to meet those conditions and was no longer eligible to play.

Pelissero also reported that Gordon had a “setback in his battle with substance abuse.” Gordon only had one day on the active roster during the 2020 season spending the majority of the year suspended.

“Seahawks WR Josh Gordon had a setback in his battle with substance abuse and now won’t be allowed to practice or play indefinitely, per sources,” Pelissero tweeted on December 22, 2020. “As @bcondotta reported, the NFL informed the team this morning Gordon hadn’t complied with terms of his conditional reinstatement.”

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Gordon Is a Free Agent This Offseason

Seattle signed Gordon last offseason to a one-year, $1 million contract with the expectation that he would play in 2020. Gordon had not yet received a ruling from the NFL on his reinstatement application, but the Seahawks still opted to sign the receiver.

Gordon is once again a free agent in 2021, and it would be surprising if the Seahawks decided to give the receiver a third opportunity. The wideout has only played in five games for the Seahawks since he was claimed off waivers by Seattle mid-season in 2019 after he was released by the Patriots.

“I have been in contact with him some over the offseason just to keep track of what’s going on and all,” Carroll explained in September 2020, per Pro Football Talk. “And like before and through the time that we have communicated, I’ve seen nothing but a guy who really wants to make a life of this NFL experience. He wants to do something with it in the worst way. He’s worked really hard. He worked out with our guys a lot in the offseason. They kind of keep us up on how that was going and then I would get some news reports from Josh.”

Wilson on Signing Gordon in 2020: ‘Hopefully This Time It’s Better Than the Last Time’

Russell Wilson has praised Gordon on several occasions including when the Seahawks re-signed the receiver last offseason. Wilson indicated he hoped things worked out for Gordon “better than the last time,” but unfortunately he is once again suspended.

“He did a tremendous job of really bonding with the guys, fitting in the right way,” Wilson said in December 2020, per Seahawks.com. He was about the approach, he was studying his playbook, he was ready to roll, he made great plays for us, but he just fit in the right way. He was about the work ethic. Coach (Pete Carroll) does a great job of giving guys chances… I’m rooting for him to be able to overcome, and hopefully this time it’s better than the last time.”

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