Last week, former NFL wide receiver Josh Gordon applied for reinstatement.
Gordon, 30, was penalized with his sixth punishment in January 2021; that was an indefinite suspension.
Josh Gordon officially has submitted his reinstatement letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and hopes to be with a team for training camp, per a league source. The NFL has been randomly drug testing Gordon for the past three months and is said to have passed all tests.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 2, 2021
He had been preparing to take the field with the Seattle Seahawks after the year-long suspension issued in December 2019 ended.
At that time, it was reported that Gordon suffered a setback.
With the many stops and starts to Gordon’s NFL career, should fans care about Josh Gordon at this point?
The answer is yes, and here is why.
Talented Player
Josh Gordon holds the #NFL record for the most receiving yards in a 4-game span with 774 yards…
His QBs: Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden pic.twitter.com/lbR92Wg813
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) July 2, 2021
Gordon is a talented athlete and football player.
He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 supplemental draft.
Gordon went on to accrue over 4,200 yards and catch 20 touchdown passes in 63 NFL games.
Josh Gordon had the potential to be one of the greatest receivers to ever play for the Browns and possibly one of the greatest receivers of all time pic.twitter.com/LMiNFqdkSM
— OBJcomeBackSZN (@camfromthe216) July 2, 2021
He has been given many opportunities to work with some of the great franchises, teammates, and coaches including those with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
And the first Pats touchdown of the season is a Tom Brady to Josh Gordon connection!
(via @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/yImJpBdpsj
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 9, 2019
In the end, fans want the most talented players on the field in September.
Gordon, aptly nicknamed “Flash” for his speed, can still be considered one of them.
Comeback Story
It’s crazy Josh Gordon still only 30 years old. He can still play at a high level for the next 4-5 years. That’d be dope if he can beat his demons and comeback
— TroubleMan91 🇭🇹 (@Jonathanprudent) July 2, 2021
Sports fans like the comeback story.
The athlete who was down and out but is able to overcome his issues and perform at the highest level of competitive sports appeals to all of us.
Thus far, indications are that Gordon has passed all of his offseason drug tests so his story would fall into this category.
Teams will be reluctant to offer him a coveted roster spot, but if he has his life together off the field, he would certainly make any team better by being a member of its offense.
Relatable
Here is the other reason that we should care about Gordon’s attempted comeback.
All of us know someone or have experienced first-hand the mental health and substance abuse issues that have plagued Gordon.
It is a lifelong struggle that boils down to day-to-day choices for a healthier life.
We want Gordon to overcome those hurdles just as we want our neighbors, friends, and family members afflicted with similar issues to beat them.
In the end, a healthy Gordon returning to the football field would be a victory for all especially in a time where many of us are still trying to rebuild our lives after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maybe his struggles would inspire someone else to make the daily good choices to lead a better life.
Conclusion
There are definitely two sides to this argument.
Some will say that Gordon has had countless chances and could take a roster spot from someone equally talented who has worked hard and is seeking one chance.
All of those opinions are valid and understandable.
However, in this case, for the game and for Gordon’s sake, we should care and silently hope that if he gets another chance, he uses it wisely and plays great.
This could be a moot point because we are not even sure how the NFL will handle his reinstatement request.
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