Patriots' Josh Gordon announces he's stepping away from football for mental health reasons
Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon says he is taking a break from football to focus on his mental health. The player announced his decision on Twitter Thursday.
"I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level," Gordon wrote. "I have recently felt like I could have a better grasp on things mentally."
"With that said, I will be stepping away from the football field for a bit to focus on my mental health," Gordon continued in the now-viral post. He thanked Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and the team's owner, Robert Kraft, "as well as countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support."
"I want to thank my fans for their support as well as I continue down the path getting back to 100%," he wrote.
The team responded with a tweet offering Gordon their support "in his continued efforts to focus on his health."
Gordon has been open with his struggle with addiction and has admitted to playing games and attending practice while drunk or high when he was with the Browns, CBS Sports reports.
Gordon first mentioned stepping away from the NFL in order to focus on his mental health this summer. He made a similar announcement while at training camp with the Browns, but ultimately returned to the team soon after, CBS Sports reports.
He was then traded to the Patriots in exchange for a late-round draft pick. Teammate Rob Gronkowski called Gordon a "reliable" player and person, according to CBS Sports.
Gordon was suspended for violating the NFL substance abuse multiple times and was also suspended from the Browns for violating team rules. He was granted a conditional reinstatement last year, but according to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Gordon violated the agreement. Pelissero reported that Gordon is facing another suspension for violating the terms of his reinstatement.
