Getty Josh Gordon prepares for a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Seattle Seahawks will not have a reunion with wide receiver Josh Gordon. The NFL reinstated the veteran on Sunday, Sept. 26, but he confirmed that he will sign with the Kansas City Chiefs and head to the AFC West instead of joining forces with Russell Wilson for the rest of the 2021 season.
Gordon tweeted on Monday, Sept. 27, that it is “time to get to work” while tagging the Chiefs. This post on social media followed reports by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Gordon had plans to sign with the defending AFC champions. The reason for this decision, per his agents Eric Dounn and Matt Leist from LAA Sports, is that the Chiefs provided the opportunity to spend multiple seasons in one destination.
The NFL suspended Gordon indefinitely in December 2019 for violations of the league’s policies on substance abuse and performance-enhancing substances, marking his sixth suspension. The receiver missed the entire 2020 season before receiving another indefinite suspension in January 2021.
Gordon applied for reinstatement in July by submitting a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFLPA then recommended that the league reinstate Gordon, leading to Goodell giving approval on Monday, Sept. 27. Now he will sign with the Chiefs’ practice squad while learning the offense.
John Schneider Created Hope About a Potential Reunion
GettyJohn Schneider greets a Seattle player before a game.
The news of Gordon signing with the Chiefs caught many fans and analysts by surprise. The reason is that both general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll had spoken optimistically about a potential reunion.
According to Bob Condotta of “The Seattle Times,” Schneider made an appearance on the radio prior to the 30-17 loss to the Vikings. He said that he couldn’t comment officially on a potential reunion with Gordon considering that the NFL hadn’t reinstated the receiver yet. However, Schneider added that “when things are taken care of officially we’d like to get rolling with him.”
Carroll also addressed the topic of bringing Gordon back into the fold during a Sept. 24 press conference. He declined to comment on potential interest from the Seahawks but explained that he thought Gordon deserved a second chance. Additionally, Carroll admitted that he had previously discussed a reunion with the receiver.
“I’ve never not talked about that with Josh,” Carroll said on Sept. 24. “I’ve always been on that topic for him. I’m sorry, I don’t have enough information to say much of anything at this point, but I’ve always felt that way. So, we’ll see what happens.”
The Seahawks Will Move Forward With Other Receiver Options
Adding Gordon to the Seahawks roster would have provided Wilson with another receiving option and one that he has worked with in the past. Instead, the reunion will not take place while the team moves forward and tries to rebound from a 1-2 start to the season. However, the Seahawks will get one player back ahead of Week 4’s battle with the 49ers.
Carroll appeared on 710ESPN Seattle on Sept. 27 to discuss the loss to the Vikings and the health concerns of several players. He explained during the interview that the team is “counting on” the rookie D’Wayne Eskridge playing against the 49ers.
The 56th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft sustained a concussion during the season-opening victory over the Colts. He missed the home opener against the Titans and the loss to the Vikings, but he should be back in action in Week 4. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Carroll said that the Seahawks received positive reports about Eskridge’s recovery.
If the rookie returns as planned, he will immediately receive snaps in Shane Waldron’s offense and will put his speed on display with fly sweeps while Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf draw coverage from the top cornerbacks. He will also bolster a group that also includes Penny Hart and Freddie Swain.